Biotechnological Application in Agriculture: Crop Production and Food Security

Biotechnological application in agriculture have revolutionized the way we approach crop production and food security. Through genetic modification (GM) and other advanced techniques, crops can be engineered to exhibit desirable traits such as pest resistance, herbicide tolerance, and enhanced nutritional content. These advancements, including the development of Bt cotton, Bt brinjal, and Golden Rice, are paving the way for more sustainable and efficient agricultural practices.

Genetically Modified (GMO) Food Crops [UPSC 2012]

• Genetically modified (GM) foods are foods derived from organisms whose genetic material (DNA) has been modified in a way that does not occur naturally, e.g. through the introduction of a gene from a different organism.
• GM crops were first commercially introduced in 1996 all over the world. Their popularity has skyrocketed since then.
• Corn, cotton, and soybeans have been genetically modified to withstand insect pests and herbicides, and they are now widely cultivated in many regions of the world.
• The Government of India approved Bt cotton as the only genetically modified (GM) crop for commercial production in 2002.

Case of Bt Cotton

• Bt toxin is produced by a bacterium called Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt).
• Bollgard technology is about a genetic sequence from a microorganism called Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). [UPSC 2021]
  • The toxin gene has been cloned from the bacteria and been expressed in plants to provide resistance to insects without the need for insecticides. 
• B. Thuringiensis forms protein crystals during a particular phase of their growth. These crystals contain a toxic insecticidal protein.
• The toxin is coded by a gene cryIAc named cry.
• There are a number of them, for example, the protein encoded by the genes cryIAc and cryIIAb control the cotton bollworms, that of cryIAb controls corn borer.

DMH-11

• About: The commercial release of the GM mustard Dhara Mustard Hybrid 11 (DMH 11) created by Delhi University is pending since the GEAC has urged that thorough safety assessment data on environmental biosafety, particularly effects on beneficial insect species, be generated first.
• Science of DMH-11: It is a genetically modified hybrid variety of the mustard species Brassica juncea.
  • The transgenic mustard DMH-11 was developed in 2002 using genetic material isolated from nonpathogenic soil bacteria.
  • Three genes, Bar, Barnase and Barstar, were extracted from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens to produce the hybrid seed.
  • DMH 11’s Glufosinate resistance is due to an enzyme expressed by the Bar (Bialaphos resistance) gene.

Bt Brinjal [UPSC 2012]

• About: Bt Brinjal is a transgenic brinjal developed by introducing the cry1Ac gene from the Bacillus thuringiensis soil bacterium into Brinjal.
• Significance: This brinjal has been genetically modified to withstand insects like the Brinjal Fruit and Shoot Borer (Leucinodes orbonalis).
• Maharashtra Hybrid Seeds Company created Bt Brinjal (Mahyco).

Golden Rice

• About: Golden Rice is a new form of rice that contains beta-carotene (provitamin A), which the body converts to vitamin A as needed and gives the grain its golden colour.
• Procedure: It’s made possible by genetic engineering, and it produces two new enzymes that finish the beta-carotene expression in rice grains.

Terminator Seed Technology

• About: The genetic alteration of plants to make them produce sterile seeds is known as Terminator seed technology.
  • Suicide seeds are another name for them.
  • Genetic Use Restriction Technologies is Terminator’s official name, as used by the UN and scientists (GURTs).

Regulations of GMs in India

• The Environment Protection Act of 1986 notified the rules governing the management of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and their products in 1989, with guidelines provided later.
• Governing Structure: Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) functions in the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC). 
  • As per Rules, 1989, it is responsible for the appraisal of activities involving large-scale use of hazardous microorganisms and recombinants in research and industrial production from the environmental angle.
  • It is responsible for the appraisal of proposals relating to the release of genetically engineered (GE) organisms and products into the environment, including experimental field trials.
• There are six authorities in total to deal with various areas of the regulation:

1. Recombinant DNA Advisory Committee,
2. Institutional BioSafety Committee,
3. Review Committee on Genetic Manipulation,
4. Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC),
5. State Biotechnology Coordination Committee, and
6. The district-level Committee

Conclusion

The integration of biotechnology in agriculture offers immense potential for addressing global food security challenges and improving crop resilience. With stringent regulatory frameworks like the Environment Protection Act of 1986 and oversight by bodies such as the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC), the safe and effective use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) can be ensured.

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