Addressing a press conference here on Wednesday, [the Agriculture Commissioner Poonam Malakondaiah] said the introduction of genetically modified (GM) crops, engineered for a specific trait, was also resulting in new pest problems. This called for a regular monitoring and surveillance system to know the status of pests, which was a pre-requisite for effective implementation of integrated pest management. [...] The department had also cautioned farmers against opting for Bt cotton crops in rain-fed areas.