The status of transgenic crops in India
- June 15, 2023
- Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
- Category: DPN Topics
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The status of transgenic crops in India
Subject : Science and technology
Section: Biotechnology
Concept :
- Three States, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Telangana, have deferred a proposal, approved by the Centre’s Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC), to test a new kind of transgenic cotton seed that contains a gene, Cry2Ai, that purportedly makes cotton resistant to pink bollworm, a major pest.
What is the status of transgenic crops in India?
- There are an array of crops — brinjal, tomato, maize, chickpea — in various stages of trials that employ transgenic technology.
- However, cotton remains the only transgenic crop that is being commercially cultivated in India.
- Recently, the GEAC approved the environmental release of Mustard hybrid DMH-11 and its parental lines.
- In 2017, the GEAC had accorded a clearance for GM mustard, but went back on its decision and imposed additional tests.
- In 2010, the GEAC had approved GM brinjal, but this was put on an indefinite moratorium by the government.
Process of regulating transgenic crops in India
- There are multiple safety assessments done by committees before they are cleared for further tests in open plots of lands, which are located at either agricultural universities or are plots controlled by the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR).
- A transgenic plant can apply for commercial clearance, only after it has proven to be demonstrably better than comparable non-GM variants on claimed parameters (for instance, drought tolerance or insect resistance) without posing ecological harm to other species that may be being cultivated in the vicinity.
- Open field trials often take place over multiple crop seasons, and types of geographical conditions, to assess its suitability across different States.
About GMO:
- A genetically modified organism (GMO) or living modified organism (LMO) is any organism whose genetic material has been modified using laboratory-based transfer of genetic material from another organism.
- Mass production of GM technology based human insulin, vaccines, growth hormones and other drugs has greatly facilitated the availability and access to life saving pharmaceuticals.
- World over, the use of animal based rennet for cheese production has been replaced to the extent of 80-90% by the enzyme chymosin produced by genetically modified microorganisms.
The science behind crop Genetic modification
- GM technology involves direct manipulation of DNA instead of using controlled pollination to alter the desired characteristics.
- Genetic modification is one the approaches to crop improvement, all of which aim at adding desirable genes and removing undesirable ones to produce better varieties.
- Conventional crop improvement involves selection and cross breeding using control pollination of better types available naturally or produced through breeding.
Developing GM crops
- Development of GM crops starts with the identification of gene of interest and isolating it from the host organism.
- The gene is incorporated into the DNA of crop plant using laboratory based gene gun or agrobacterium approaches.
- The performance of the GM crop is tested under strict laboratory and field conditions.
Global GM crop cultivation
- Major GM crop growing countries:
- USA, Brazil, Argentina, India and Canada are five top GM growing countries, together accounting for approx. 90% area of the GM cultivation.
- Major GM crops grown:
- Soybean, maize, cotton and canola with herbicide tolerance and insect resistance are the major GM crops grown around the world.
Regulating GM crops
- Development, cultivation and transboundary movement of GM crops is regulated so as to ensure the safety of animal health, human health and biodiversity.
- In India, such regulations are provided in the Rules for Manufacture, Use, Import, Export and Storage of Hazardous Microorganisms (HM) Genetically Engineered Organisms or Cells, 1989 under the Environment Protection Act (1986).
- The rules cover:
- All activities involving research and development of products containing GMOs including transgenic crops, pharma products, industrial products, food and foodstuffs.
- Field and clinical trials
- Deliberate or unintentional release
- Import, export and manufacture
Statutory bodies on GM crop regulation in India
- Recombinant DNA Advisory Committee (RDAC):
- Monitors the developments in biotechnology at national and international levels.
- Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBSC):
- Approves low-risk experiments and ensures adherence to prescribed safety guidelines.
- Recommends high-risk experiments to Review Committee on Genetic Manipulation (RCGM) for approval.
- Review Committee on Genetic Manipulation (RCGM):
- Reviews all ongoing projects involving high-risk and controlled field experiments.
- Approves applications for generating research information on GM plants.
- Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC):
- Approves activities involving large- scale use of GMOs in research and production.
- State Biotechnology Coordination Committee (SBCC):
- Reviews the safety and control measures in various institutions handling GMOs.
- Acts as State level nodal agency to assess the damage, if any, due to release of GMOs and to take on-site control measures.
- District Level Committee (DLC):
- Inspects, investigates and reports to the SBCC or the GEAC about compliance or non-compliance of regulatory guidelines.
- Acts as nodal agency at District level to assess the damage, if any, due to release of GMOs and to take on site control measures.