GM Crops and Policy for GM Crops in India

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Relevance: The Hindu

Genetic Modification:

  1. Genetically Modified crops have been commercially cultivated in the world since 1995.
  2. Genetic modification (GM) refers to insertion of a gene in an organism. 
  3. GM method can introduce traits from a different organism which is impossible to obtain via conventional breeding. 
  4. Common GM traits in plants are herbicide tolerance (corn), insect resistance (cotton) and virus resistance (papaya). 
  5. Various studies have established that currently available GM crops are safe for human consumption. 
  6. Potential concerns regarding GM crops include impact on biodiversity, soil and genetic diversity among crops.

GM technology has two major advantages over conventional breeding. First, it is faster to introduce certain traits as conventional breeding requires selection over many generations. Second, it enables changes in genetic makeup that may not be possible through conventional methods, such as the introduction of a gene from a different organism. The application of GM methods in agricultural plants can result in the following benefits: (i) increased yield, (ii) enhanced yield protection, i.e., resistance to pests and diseases, (iii) reduced costs for food, (iv) reduced usage of environmentally damaging pesticides, (v) enhanced nutritional value, and (vi) tolerance to drought hence reducing the use of groundwater. 

GM Mustard (DMH-11):

The objective of using GM technology in mustard is to improve yields by crossing an Indian variant (Varuna) with a European line Early Heera (EH)-2. This is difficult to do by conventional breeding because mustard is self-pollinating, i.e., the pollen from the male part pollinates and fertilises the female part of the same plant. This makes it difficult to cross one variant of plant with a different variant. 

To overcome this problem, the gene barnase is inserted in the Varuna plant which makes it male sterile (no pollen formation).9,10 This can now be crossed with EH-2. However, the plant growing from the resultant seed will be male-sterile and cannot produce any seed through selfpollination. Therefore, another gene barstar which restores male fertility is added to EH-2 before crossing. Thus, the new barstar-barnase variant can self-pollinate and produce mustard seeds, which is the desired crop. 

As the process of adding the gene is probabilistic (only a few of the target plants get the gene added), another herbicide-tolerant gene bar is added along with barstar and barnase. The resultant (growing) plants are then sprayed with herbicide, and only those containing bar gene (and therefore with barnase and barstar) survive. Therefore, the seeds will have bar-barnase-barstar genes. This seed has been named Dhara Mustard Hybrid (DMH)-11.

GM Crops in India:

Bt-Cotton is the only approved GM crop (2002) for commercial cultivation. It was introduced to protect against the widespread infestation of bollworm. In 2018-19, Bt-cotton was 95% of the total cotton planted in India. 

Bt-Brinjal: In 2009, Bt-brinjal was cleared by GEAC for commercial cultivation, but it was put on a 10-year moratorium following public backlash and recommendations of brinjal growing states.29,30 Recently, GEAC has allowed field trials of new varieties of indigenously developed Bt-brinjal in eight states during 2020-23. The trial requires a no objection certificate (NOC) from concerned states and confirmed availability of isolated stretches of agricultural land.

GM Mustard: In October 2022, GEAC approved the environmental release of GM mustard (Dhara Mustard Hybrid/DMH-11, developed in 2002) and its parental crops (Indian and east European lines).

As per the announcement by Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, ICAR institutions and universities are deeply engaged in development ofGM cropsfor different traits such as biotic and abiotic stress tolerance, yield and quality improvement in 13 crops viz., Cotton, Papaya, Brinjal, Banana, Chickpea, Pigeonpea, Potato, Sorghum, Brassica, Rice, Flax, Wheat and Sugarcaneinvolving 11 Institutions through its “Network Project on Functional Genomics and Genome Modification” since 2006.

Currently in four crops viz., late blight resistant potato developed by ICAR-Central Potato Research Institute, Shimla; pod borer resistance in pigeonpea developed by ICAR-National Institute for Plant Biotechnology, New Delhi; insect resistant chickpea developed by ICAR-Indian Institute of Pulses Research, Kanpur and iron, and pro-vitamin rich banana developed by ICAR-National Research Centre on Banana, Tirchurapalli,the GM products with different traits are  in different stages from event selection to biosafety research level trials following all biosafety guidelines. 

PRS Legislative Research, Pree Information Bureau

<<< Rules for the Manufacture, Use / Import / Export and Storage of Hazardous Micro Organisms / Genetically Engineered Organisms or Cells

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