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 .
BIOVOICENEWS . COM 25