| Summary: | Transgenic Bt cotton varieties that are resistant to pink bollworm should sustain less feeding damage to bolls and cottonseed, compared to non-Bt varieties that are more susceptible to feeding damage by pink bollworm larvae. Prior to boll opening, the aflatoxin producing fungus Aspergillus flavus cannot penetrate undamaged cotton bolls. Thus resistance to pink bollworm could result in reduced aflatoxin contamination under high pink bollworm pressure. Cottonseed aflatoxin levels of Bt and non-Bt varieties were compared at various planting and harvest dates. Bt and non-Bt cotton varieties had similar cottonseed aflatoxin levels. Long season production systems favored high cottonseed aflatoxin levels, compared to short season production systems, regardles of the cotton variety grown.
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