GM crops can help fight hunger depending on farming method

Context: The world’s population is growing, and more people
need more food. But indiscriminately expanding agricultural land and practice
is not desirable. Cutting forests to plant more crops will only push
already-fragile ecosystems over the edge. Dousing fields with pesticides is
similarly toxic and depletes soils and groundwater. Now tools like CRISPR help
scientists make targeted changes to a plant’s genome. People are also accepting
GM when the plant doesn’t have foreign genes. But the costs of regulation and
ensuring nothing harmful enters the market is still too high for institutions
that don’t only work for profit.

GM (Genetically Modified)
Crops

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About: GM crops were first introduced in the USA in 1994
called Flavr Savr tomato, with the objective to slow its ripening process,
delaying softening and rotting. Before this, genetic modification was already
in use to produce insulin, vaccines, and other drugs on a large scale.

Objectives of the GM crops - Reducing dependence on pesticides/herbicides as the
toxins produced by the GM crops (such as Bt-toxins) are used to kill the pests.
Providing resistance to certain plant viruses. Providing tolerance of
herbicides used to control weeds. Reducing the need to till the soil to control
weeds.

Bt genes - Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is a bacterium that produces two important
proteins - cytolytic (Cyt) and crystal (Cry) toxins, which are toxic to a
specific group of insects such as beetles, caterpillars, flies, mosquitoes,
etc. The genes expressing these toxins are engineered into plant crops so that
they too can produce them. For ex: Bt Cotton.

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Methods of
producing GM Crops: To
genetically modify a crop, a gene of interest (Cry or Cyt genes, or any other
gene for a specific trait) is incorporated into the DNA of a plant. It involves
mainly two approaches - Recombinant DNA technology using Agrobacterium
tumefaciens-mediated gene transfer and the Direct approach.

Ø  Direct approach - In the direct approach the gene of interest is cloned into a plant DNA
vector and then transferred into the plant using the gene gun method,
electroporation method, microinjection, etc.

Ø  A.tumefaciens mediated gene transfer - A.tumefaciens is a soil bacterium and is called
nature’s own genetic engineer. It causes crown gall disease in many plants by
transferring tumour-causing DNA into the plant’s genome by using a
tumour-inducing plasmid (Ti-plasmid).

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Applications
of GM Crops: Biofortification -
Biofortification is the process of enhancing micronutrient content. Genetic
modification has proved to be the best method for biofortification. Ex: β-carotene-enriched
‘Golden Rice’ was the first application of GM biofortification in 2000.

Edible Vaccines - Edible vaccines can be produced from GM plants. They offer many
benefits than the traditional ones due to lower manufacturing costs and much
fewer side effects.

Biofuels - Fourth-generation biofuels, which is biofuel obtained from genetically
modified (GM) algae and cyanobacteria, have gained considerable attention.

Phytoremediation - Genetic modification can be utilised to clean up soil and water
pollutants by expressing the genes that express enzymes dealing with these
pollutants.

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Regulatory
Framework in India and GM Crops: Stringent laws are in place to address threats to animal health, human
safety, and biodiversity in general during the development, cultivation, and
transboundary movement of GM crops.

Recombinant DNA Advisory Committee (RDAC) - It monitors the development of biotechnology at
national and international levels.

Review Committee on Genetic Manipulation (RCGM) - It reviews ongoing projects involving high-risk and
controlled field experiments. It also approves the applications for generating
research information on GM plants.

Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) - It is responsible for the overall evaluation of
proposals related to the release of GM organisms as well as products into the
environment. It works under the Ministry of Environment.

State Biotechnology Coordination Committee (SBCC) - It reviews safety measures in various institutions
handling GM organisms and acts as the state-level nodal agency in this regard.

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Some other Indian
GM Crops: Bt-Brinjal - The fruit
and borer-resistant Bt-brinjal was approved for commercial cultivation by GEAC
in 2009, but it was put on a 10-year moratorium due to public outrage and
recommendations from brinjal-growing states.

GM Mustard - Commercial cultivation of high-yielding GM mustard in India has not
begun yet.