Bt. BRINJAL

Bt. BRINJAL

TOPIC: Science & Tech

Context- Maharashtra farmers, under the aegis of ShetkariSanghatana, launched a drive on Thursday to cultivate Bt brinjal from Ahmednagar district despite the genetically modified variety not being approved for commercial cultivation.

Concept-

• To date, the Centre has approved only GM cotton for commercial cultivation in India.
• Under Section 22 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, GM foods are not allowed to be manufactured, imported or sold in India unless approved under the Act.
• Legally, sale, storage, transportation and usage of unapproved GM seeds is a punishable offence under the Rules of Environmental Protection Act 1989.
  • Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) is the appraisal body that allows for commercial release of GM crops.
  • GEAC functions in the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC).
• Also, sale of unapproved seeds can attract action under the Seed Act of 1966 and the Cotton Act of 1957.

Bt Brinjal:

• Bt Brinjal was developed by Mahyco (Maharashtra Hybrid Seeds Company) in collaboration with the Dharwad University of Agricultural Sciences and the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University.
• Bt Brinjal is a transgenic brinjal created by inserting a gene cry1Ac from the soil bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis into Brinjal.
• This genetically modified brinjal gives resistance against insects such as the Brinjal Fruit and Shoot Borer.