Titulo en ingles: Environmental effects of agrochemicals and agricultural machinery in transgenic and conventional crops cotton Resumen La produccion de alimentos se basa en el uso de diferentes tecnologias agricolas, que pueden derivar en conflictos entre medioambiente y agricultura. Es significativo estudiar el impacto ambiental de las nuevas tecnologias aplicadas a la agricultura, la mas importante de las cuales es la transgenesis. Este trabajo se realizo en la zona algodonera del municipio del Espinal, departamento del Tolima, para la cosecha de algodon del primer semestre de 2009, usando las metodologias de Brookes y Barfoot (2006) y Kovach y colaboradores (1992). Se estudio el efecto ambiental de la aplicacion de agroquimicos y el uso de maquinaria agricola en cultivos de algodon transgenico y convencional. Se recogio informacion mediante encuestas en veinte fincas productoras de algodon. El analisis de las encuestas se realizo de forma descriptiva, determinando diferencias de tipo cuantitativo y cualitativo para los predios que utilizan la tecnologia convencional o la tecnologia transgenicas (doble gen, Bt/RR), para luego realizar una correlacion con el “Enviromental Index Quotient” (EIQ). No se encontraron diferencias entre el EIQ de campo de las dos tecnologias, aunque la tecnologia transgenica tiene ventajas ambientales en el control de algunas plagas de lepidopteros. En relacion con el uso de maquinaria agricola, se encontro que la tecnologia convencional genera menor liberacion de CO2, gas de efecto invernadero. La metodologia de Brookes y Barfoot puede adaptarse para estudios comparativos de tecnologias agricolas en paises tropicales. Palabras clave: algodon; cultivos transgenicos; efectos ambientales; maquinaria agricola; emisiones CO2; EIQ. Abstract Food production is based on the use of various agricultural technologies, which can lead to conflicts between environment and agriculture. It is important to study the environmental impact of new technologies applied to agriculture, the most important of which is transgenesis. This work was carried out in the cotton belt of the town of Espinal, Tolima Department for the cotton crop in the first half of 2009, through methodologies Brookes & Barfoot (2006) and Kovach et al (1992). We studied the environmental impact of pesticide application and use of agricultural machinery for cultivation of transgenic and conventional cotton. Information was collected through surveys of 20 farms producing cotton. The analysis of the survey was conducted descriptively, by determining differences in quantitative and qualitative for the sites that use conventional technology, and transgenic (Bt gene and double RR / RR), and then make a correlation with the Environmental Index Quotient (EIQ). No differences were found between the fields EIQ the two technologies, although transgenic technology has environmental advantages in the control of some lepidopteran pests. In connection with the use of agricultural machinery, was found to conventional technology generates less release of CO2, greenhouse gas. The Brookes and Barfoot methodology could be adapted in comparative studies of agricultural technologies in tropical countries. Key words: Cotton; transgenic crops; environmental effects; agricultural machinery; CO2 emissions; EIQ.