BioVoice News May 2017 Issue 12 Volume 1 | Page 57

You call your method as the ever-green revolution? Is the second green revolution possible? When the first green revolution happened, we had a different population. As compared to that, we have a different scenario now. And while the demand increases, the supply isn’t getting bigger. Hence, the gap is becoming broader. We are trying to fill it by our process. We are calling it evergreen revolution. Can this process replace the need for GM crops entirely? What are your views on GM crops? In the case of GM crops, we don’t know about the long-term impact. That is why people are concerned. Comparatively this method that has been tested on wheat and we must try on rice and maize. Is more superior on them. There is no environmental or health concerns. In case of GM crops, we are increasing the size The new technology, if successful on the field, can be a respite for India where wheat production took a hit in 2015 and 2016 due to widespread drought and imports surged to the highest seen in a decade. India is likely to harvest a record 96.6 million tonnes beginning April this year, but a warmer winter may shave off some of the gains of a normal monsoon last year. of grain, that not only includes starch but the protein as well. In GM crops, protein content gets drastically changed. And protein is a very useful molecule as well as notorious too. While in GM, we cut the codon that are thought to be unimportant. Then protein synthesis happens after insertion. After deletion, the protein produced may not be safe due to the. All GM crops are bad? In Bangladesh nobody died after eating GM? I feel in case of edible crops, they are going to affect human health. Bt cotton was ok only in the non-edible form. Even the oil produced from it can’t be called safe. These GM crops don’t show impact in 2-3 years. Sometimes they may slow effect after 25 years. Other concerns are related to environment as the cross pollination with other varieties of the same plant are a big issue here. There will be only a single race eventually and that goes against nature. But modifications happen in nature too? The one you are talking about is slow. It is the natural selection based on many factors. It is not controlled. But GM is just the opposite as it is sudden and done using tools. BIOVOICENEWS.COM 57