Illegal Cultivation Of BT Brinjal
26, Apr 2019
Prelims level : Bt Brinjal, GMO
Mains level : Science & Technology
Why in News?
- The activists representing the Coalition for a GM-Free India (CGFI) have alleged that Bt brinjal is being cultivated illegally in
Highlights:
- Bacillus Thuringiensis Brinjal, popularly known as Bt brinjal, has been at the centre of controversy in
- Bt brinjal, a genetically modified strain created by India’s seeds company Mahyco in collaboration with American multinational Monsanto, claims to improve yields and help the agriculture
Side effects of Bt Brinjal:
- Brinjal is prone to attack from insect pests and diseases, the most serious and destructive of which is the fruit and shoot borer (FSB) Leucinodes
- It is said be fatal for lungs and
- Food safety and possible effects on organisms other than the pest insect (non-target organisms).
Genetically Modified Organisms:
- Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) can be defined as organisms (i.e. plants, animals or microorganisms) in which the genetic material (DNA) has been altered in a way that does not occur naturally by mating and/or natural
- The technology is called “recombinant DNA technology” or “genetic engineering”.
- It allows selected individual genes to be transferred from one organism into another and also between non-related
- GM crops are aimed at providing increased level of crop protection by introducing resistance against plant diseases caused by insects, viruses and from
- The resistance against insects in GM crops is achieved by incorporating into the food plant the gene for toxin production, which is currently used as a conventional insecticide in agriculture and is considered safe for human
- Virus resistance is achieved through the introduction of a gene from certain viruses which cause disease in plants. Virus resistance makes plants less susceptible to diseases caused by such viruses, resulting in higher crop
- Herbicide tolerance is achieved through the introduction of a gene from a bacterium conveying resistance to some In situations where weed pressure is high, the