GENETICALLY MODIFIED (GM) CROPS

What are GM crops?

• Genetically Modified (GM) crops are plants whose DNA has been modified by genetic engineering techniques.
• The aim is to develop useful characteristics in crops such as insect resistance, herbicide tolerance and nutritional improvement.

Key features of GM crops

• Pest Resistance – Some GM crops contain genes from bacteria called BACILLUS THURINGIENSIS (BT), which produce insecticidal proteins to protect against pests and reduce the need for chemical pesticides.
• Herbicide Tolerance – Some GM crops are able to tolerate certain types of herbicides, allowing farmers to control weeds without harming the crop.
• Drought and Disease Resistance – Genetically modified crops are more tolerant to extreme climatic conditions, such as drought and diseases.
• Improved Nutritional Content – ​​Some GM crops, such as Golden Rice, have enhanced vitamins and other essential nutrients to address malnutrition.

Examples of GM Crops

• ???? Bt Cotton – It contains the BT gene, which makes it resistant to the bollworm.
• ???? Golden Rice – It has the ability to produce vitamin A, which provides nutritional benefits.
• ???? GM Maize & Soybean – These have been developed for herbicide tolerance and insect resistant characteristics.
• ???? GM Brinjal – It has immunity to insects that damage fruits and stems.

Benefits of GM Crops

• Higher Yield – Productivity increases due to reduced crop losses.
• Reduced Pesticide Use – GM crops are naturally pest resistant, reducing the need for chemical pesticides.
• Environmental Benefits – The use of fewer pesticides reduces the amount of pollution in soil and water sources.
• Nutritional Enhancement – ​​GM crops help solve the problem of malnutrition by increasing essential vitamins and nutrients.
• Climate Resilience – These crops are more tolerant to drought, high temperatures and various diseases.

Concerns and Challenges

• Environmental Risks – GM crops may have a potential impact on biodiversity and may have a negative impact on pollinators.
• Health Concerns – Research is still ongoing on the long-term health effects of GM crops.
• Resistance Development – ​​Over time, pests and weeds may become resistant to GM crops, reducing their effectiveness.
• Economic & Ethical Issues – Farmers may become increasingly dependent on large biotechnology companies, leading to disputes over patents and rights related to seeds.

Regulation & Approval

• Different countries have different regulations regarding GM crops.
• GM crops are grown on a large scale in countries like the US, Brazil and Canada.
• Strict restrictions have been imposed on GM crops in the European Union (EU).
• BT COTTON has been approved in India, but controversy over other GM crops is still ongoing.

GM Mustard

• It is known as Dhara Mustard Hybrid-11.
• It has been developed by scientists of the Centre for Genetic Manipulation of Crop Plants, Delhi University.
• For this, crossing of the Indian variety of mustard Varuna was done with the Eastern European variety Early Heera-2.
• DMH-11 has been created through transgenic technology, which mainly includes Bar, Barnes and Barstar genes.
• The Bar gene makes it herbicide tolerant.
• The Barnes gene provides sterility, due to which it does not self-pollinate.
• While the Barstar gene restores the ability of DMH-11 to produce fertile seeds.
• DMH-11 is an insect and disease resistant variety, which can reduce the expenditure on pesticides on its cultivation.

Benefits

• India has to import a variety of oils including palm, soybean and sunflower to meet 70% of its domestic demand for edible oil.
• Mustard productivity in India is about one tonne per hectare, which is one-third of countries like Canada, China and Australia.
• DMH-11 provides about 30% more yield than a conventional mustard variety.
• During limited field trials of DMH-11 conducted for three years at several locations, it provided about 28% higher yield than the national check Varun and 37% higher yield than the zonal check RL1359.
• Cultivation of GM mustard will increase production, thereby reducing the huge import bill for edible oil.
• GM mustard also does not negatively affect the pollination habits of bees.
• According to the data recorded during the trials, the visitation of bees to transgenic lines is similar to that of non-transgenic counterparts.
• As per the field trials conducted to assess the impact on human health and environment under the prescribed guidelines, GM mustard is safe for use in food and feed.

Disadvantages

• GM mustard may have adverse effects on biosafety, environment, human and animal health.
• DMH-11 contains foreign genes, which make the plant resistant to drugs.
• Thus it will force farmers to use only select brands of agrochemicals.
• It may pose a threat to local varieties of crops.