Would nod to commercial cultivation of GM Mustard prove to be a game changer for genetically engineered crops in India or the government again chooses status quo on the issue? While answer doesn’ t seem to be far now, let us take a look at the progress so far
Would nod to commercial cultivation of GM Mustard prove to be a game changer for genetically engineered crops in India or the government again chooses status quo on the issue? While answer doesn’ t seem to be far now, let us take a look at the progress so far
BY RAHUL KOUL
Post 5th October when the process of assessment of food and environmental safety for release of genetically modified Mustard( Brassica juncea) got completed, all eyes are on the union government ' s next move on the issue. Earlier the Union Environment Ministry on 5th September, had put the document prepared by the sub-committee of Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee( GEAC) on its website for comments by stakeholders and general public for a period of
30 days.
The process was rolled out as a response to the application of Centre for Genetic Manipulation of Crop Plants( CGMCP), University of Delhi for the approval of environmental release of GM Mustard hybrid, DMH-11 and use of parental events( Varuna bn 3.6 and EH-2 modbs 2.99) for the development of new generation hybrids.
Biosafety concerns taken care of? The 4000 + pages biosafety dossier of GM mustard packed in VII volumes generated over a period of more than 15 years reaffirm the scientific scrutiny, safety and supremacy of Indian regulatory system in assessing biosafety of GM crops in India, say the experts. During the public comments period as announced by Environment Minister on 7th October, around 759 comments were submitted by experts familiar with the subject of agriculture and crop improvement including the visits of dozens of researchers, students
COUNTERING MYTHS ON BARNASE-BARSTAR TECHNOLOGY AND GE MUSTARD HYBRID DMH-11
• Non terminator technology and male sterility trait in Mustard: The system of male sterility in one of the parents is a fundamental necessity for efficient hybrid seed production irrespective of use of methodologies such as the cytoplasmic male sterility( CMS) or the barnase-barstar system. Efforts should be made to ensure that the general public should not be confused with the system of male sterility induced by the barnase-barstar technology with the GURT or terminator technology.
• Efficient hybridization an increasing Mustard yield: The barnase-barstar system provides opportunity to produce fully fertile hybrids with enhanced yield levels, reduce hybrid seed production cost and increased farmers’ income. 1
• Mustard Crossability: The issue of crossability of GE mustard with the conventional mustard or wild relatives has been overstated and exaggerated to stall the commercial cultivation of this powerful hybridization technology.
• Herbicide tolerance in Mustard: The herbicide tolerance is not a prime target for the barnasebarstar GE mustard hybrid DMH-11. However, all efforts should be directed to develop mustard seeds tolerant to popular herbicides including glyphosate and glufosinate to allow farmers to increase mustard productivity and production in India.
• IPRs on GM Mustard: None of the patents on barnase-barstar system were ever filed by developers in India. Global patents on barnasebarstar genes have already expired. Notably, the patents of the modification of the barnasebarstar technology in mustard developed by Delhi University South Campus were filed in India and other countries such as USA and Canada, are held jointly by the National Dairy Development Board( NDDB) and Delhi University.
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