U.S. Researchers bet on Hybrid, GMO to make Wheat Profitable

Syllabus: GS3/Biotechnology

Context

• Hybrid wheat is finally becoming more widely available, and genetically modified varieties may launch in the U.S. within a few years. 

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 Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (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.

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.
• Protect native crop varieties through buffer zones and containment strategies.
• Empower biosafety and ethics committees with greater independence and accountability.

Source: TH