Hundreds of farmers who have sown costly seeds of Bt cotton are in dire straits following a continuous dry spell in the district for over a month. The plants which have reached the flowering stage are beginning to wither as rain continues to elude the district. Many farmers in Rampura, Devasamudra and Jagir Buddenahally area in Molakalmuru taluk have sown seeds of Vibha, Jadoo developed by companies like Nuziveedu Seeds and Monsanto, said Kengegouda, assistant agricultural officer. A packet of 450gm of seeds costs Rs 930. Normally farmers sow seeds in the last week of February or first week of March.