Confined Field Trials on GM Maize 

Syllabus: GS3/Biotechnology

Context

• The Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) has approved confined field trials of two varieties of genetically modified (GM) maize at the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) for the 2025 Kharif season.

Traits Being Tested in GM Maize

• Herbicide Tolerance: Developed to withstand glyphosate, a broad-spectrum herbicide.
  • Objective: Assess weed control efficacy when glyphosate is applied.
• Insect Resistance: Engineered to combat lepidopteran pests (e.g., stem borers).
  • Objective: Test for protection levels and yield benefits.

What are GM crops?

• Crops that have undergone genetic engineering processes to alter their DNA are referred to as genetically modified crops.
  • This alteration is done to introduce desirable traits such as resistance to pests or herbicides, improved nutritional content, or increased yield.
• The process of creating GM crops typically involves: identification of desired traits, isolation of genes, insertion into crop genome, and expression of the trait.
• The techniques used in GM crops are: gene guns, electroporation, microinjection, agrobacterium etc.
• The types of modification are: transgenic, cis-genic, subgenic and multiple trait integration.
• The main trait types in GM crops are herbicide tolerance (HT), insect resistance (IR), Stacked traits etc.

Indian Scenario in GM crops

• Bt Cotton: In 2002, the GEAC had allowed the commercial release of Bt cotton.
  • Bt cotton has two alien genes from the soil bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) that allows the crop to develop a protein toxic to the common pest pink bollworm. 
  • Till now, it is the only GM crop that is allowed in India.
• Many varieties of GM crops are under different stages of development, like Bt brinjal and DMH-11 mustard.

Regulatory framework in India

• The Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC): It under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), is responsible for the assessment of proposals related to the commercial release of GM crops.
• Acts and rules that regulate GM crops in India are:
  • Environment Protection Act, 1986 (EPA)
  • Biological Diversity Act, 2002
  • Plant Quarantine Order, 2003
  • GM policy under Foreign Trade Policy
  • Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006
  • Drugs and Cosmetics Rule (8th Amendment), 1988.

What are the concerns?

• Use of Glyphosate: Field trials involve GM maize engineered to tolerate glyphosate, a herbicide banned in Punjab.
  • Activists cite studies linking glyphosate to carcinogenic effects, such as non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and soil ecosystem disruption.
• Biodiversity Risks: GM crops can affect non-target organisms, promote monocultures, and cause gene flow to native crop varieties, threatening biodiversity.
• Public Health concerns: Antibiotic resistance markers in GM crops may reduce the efficacy of real antibiotics in humans, raising the risk of antibiotic-resistant superbugs.
• Legal Inconsistencies: The lack of transparency in issuing No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for field trials has been questioned by civil society groups like the Coalition for a GM-Free India.
  • They argue that public consultation, independent review, and parliamentary oversight are missing.

Way Ahead

• Strengthen Scientific Transparency: Ensure independent, peer-reviewed assessments of GM crop safety and efficacy. Publish trial data in the public domain to build trust and credibility.
• Promote Public Engagement: Conduct open consultations with farmers, scientists, and civil society to address concerns.
  • Launch education campaigns on GM technology, risks, and benefits.
• Protect native crop varieties through buffer zones and containment strategies.
• Empower biosafety and ethics committees with greater independence and accountability.
• Involve state agricultural universities only for research and not promotional roles.

Source: TH