recombinant dna technology or transgenic technology in crop plants

1. Submitted By
Chanda kumari
Submitted to
Dr. Anant
Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding
Lovely Professional University, Punjab
AN ASSIGNMENT
on
Transgenics

2. What is a transgenic?
Transgene Exotic gene added to a species through
recombinant DNA technology
The organism that develop after successful transformation -
transgenic
BT COTTON GOLDEN RICE FLAVR SAVR TOMATO

Introduction

3. What is Transgenic Breeding ?
Genetic improvement of crop plants, domestic animals,
microbes through Biotechnology.
What is Transgenics ?
A genotype developed by the process ofgenetic
engineering.
Or
A genotype containing foreign gene or modified geneof
different species transferred by process of genetic engineering.
What is Transgene ?
Foreign gene or modified gene of any species which is
used for development of transgenics. These may be from
related wild species, microbes (Bacteria, viruses and fungi) or
unrelated species.

4. Fig 1: A diagram re-drawn from Harlan and de Wet (1971) to include a description of gene pools as they
relate to the use of transgenes . Circles are representations of the primary- (GP-1), secondary-
(GP-2), tertiary- (GP-3), and quaternary-gene pools (GP-4)

5. Global area (Million Hectares) of Biotech crops, 1996-2016 by Country
and Mega-Countries
Source: ISAAA, 2016

6. Global Adoption Rates (%) for Principal
Biotech Crops 2017 (Million Hectares)
Trait Distribution in Approved
Events, 1992-2016

7. Status of Biosafety Research Trails of Biotech Crops in India, 2016
Source: MOEF&CC, 2016, Analyzed by ISAAA,2016

8. Why Create Transgenic
Plants?
1. Improve agricultural value of plant
increase yield (herbicide-resistance, pest-
resistance) enhance nutrition
enhance taste
2. Plants can produce proteins for human needs
(pharmaceutics)
3. Modified plants can be used to study effects of genes
An entire plant can be regenerated from a single cell
***TOTIPOTENCY***
No separation of germ and somatic cells

9. Overview of The Process
 There are five major steps involved in genetically engineering
plants. These are DNA isolation, single gene cloning, gene
designing, cell transformation, and backcross breeding.
• DNA is extracted from an organism that has the desired trait.
• The desired gene is located and copied.
• The gene is inserted into a single plant cell using a transformation
method. If the transgene successfully lands in the cells nucleus and
is incorporated into one of the chromosomes, then the trait that it
codes for will be expressed in the cell's offspring.
• The cell multiplies and grows a new plant that contains the
transgene in all of its cells.
• Through backcross breeding the transgenic plant is crossed with a
plant from a high yielding line. The resulting hybrids are the
genetically modified plants that can enter the marketplace.

10. General procedure of recombinant DNA technology

11. APPLICATION OF TRANSGENIC PLANTS
• Resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses

12. Improving crop yield and nutritional value

13. Help in alleviating poverty and hunger

14. Contribute to food, feed and fiber security

15. Transgenic plants as bioreactors for
recombinant proteins

17. Provide better environment

18. Conserve biodiversity

19. GENE CONSTRUCT
A typical plant gene
Promoters /enhancers
Reporter genes

20. METHODS FOR PLANT GENE TRANSFER
INDIRECT METHODS
(VECTOR-BASED)
DIRECT
METHODS
(VECTOR-LESS )
• Agrobacterium
mediated
transfromation
• Bacterial
transformation
• Conjugation
• Phage
transduction
• Retroviral
transduction
• Transposition
IN PLANTA
TRANSFORMATION
Physical methods
• Particle
bombardment
• Electroporation
• Microinjection
• Liposome mediated
DNA transfer
• Silicon Carbide fibre
mediated DNA
transfer
Chemical method
• PEG-mediated DNA
transfer
• Floral Dip
• Vacuum
infiltration
• Agro injection

23. Figure: A biolistic microprojectile gun.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gene_gun (cc)
DNA- or RNA-coated gold/tungsten
particles are loaded into the gun and you
pull the trigger.

24. PARTICLE BOMBARDMENT (BIOLISTICS)
 The micro projectile bombardment method was initially named
as biolistics by its inventor Sanford (1988).
 Biolistics is a combination of biological and ballistics. There are
other names for this technique- particle gun, gene gun, bio
blaster.
 Foreign DNA containing the genes to be transferred is coated
onto the surface of minute gold or tungsten particles (1-3
micrometers) and bombarded onto the target tissue or cells
using a particle gun.
 Two types of plant tissue are commonly used for particle
bombardment- Primary explants and the proliferating embryonic
tissues.
 Successfully used for the transformation of many cereals, e.g.
rice, wheat, maize.
 A commercially produced particle bombardment apparatus
namely PDS-1000/HE is widely used these days.

25. Advantages :
i. Gene transfer can be efficiently done in organized tissues.
ii. Different species of plants can be used to develop transgenic
plants.
Limitations :
iii.
i. The major complication is the production of high transgene copy
number. This may result in instability of transgene expression
due to gene silencing.
ii. The target tissue may often get damaged due to lack of
control of bombardment velocity.
Sometimes, undesirable chimeric plants may be regenerated.

27. VECTORS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF
TRANSGENIC PLANTS
Plasmid vectors
• Ti plasmid
• co integrative vector
• Binary vectors
Plant virus vectors

28. Bacillus
Shigetane Ishiwatari (1901), first isolated
thuringiensis.
Bt is commonly abbreviated as Bacillus
thuringiensis,is a gram-positive, facultative aerobic,
rod-like, motile and sporulating bacterium.
Bt is a naturally-occurring soil borne bacterium that
is found worldwide
Ubiquitous in nature.
Produces crystals of endotoxin (Cry protien or delta
toxin) - toxic to insect mainly in their larval stage,
thus they act as insecticides.
Bacillus thuringiensis

29.  These crystal proteins (Cry proteins) are insect
stomach poisons.
 Insects stop feeding within two hours of a first
bite and, if enough toxin is eaten, die within
two or three days
 Important biological insect control agent.
 Bt crystals, sometimes referred as insecticidal
crystal proteins (ICP), are protein crystals
formed during sporulation in some Bt strains
coded by cry genes.
Conti.....

30. • 1. Ingestion
• 2. Solublization & proteolytic activation
• 3. Binding to target site
• 4. Formation of toxic lesions
HOW Bt WORKS ?

32. Mode of Action of Bt Toxin in Insect Gut

33. Development of GM Crop/
Transgenics
 Identify gene(s) giving a desired trait
 Make copies of the gene
 Transfer to plant tissue
 Regenerate plants
 Lab analysis and safety testing
 Development of a variety
 Field tests
 Approval by Government agencies
 Commercialization
 Monitoring of efficacy and safety

34. Schematic Diagram of Bt Crop
Improvement

35. Delivering the Gene to the Plant
•Transformation cassettes are developed in the lab
• They are then introduced into a plant
•Two major delivery methods
• Agrobacterium
Tissue culture
required to generate
transgenic plants
• Gene Gun

37. The Lab Steps

38. Cell Culture and Somatic Embryogenesis, a Means to Obtain TransgenicPlants
Scheiden and Schwann made a critical observation, that plants possess a remarkable ability to
generate free-living cells from plant tissues. Plant cell and tissue culture using sterile technique
and in vitro (within glass) conditions are key elements to obtaining transgenic crop plants.
Somatic Embryogenesis
Totipotentcy: plant cell or cells are able to live independently, and also possess the ability to
regenerate into a whole plant under the right environmental conditions.
The first methodology of generating plants from cell culture is through the process of somatic
embryo formation, whereby somatic cells (those not involved in sexual reproduction), produce
an embryo similar to one produced by zygotic embryogenesis it is called somatic
embryogenesis.
Somatic embryos formed with root and shoot apical meristems are termed a bipolar embryo,
and germinate into whole plants (Parrott, 2000).
Organogenesis
The second methodology of regenerating single cells into whole plants is termed
organogenesis, where a meristematic cell from a root or shoot primordiums used to form organs
(e.g. shoots, leaves or roots); these recovered organs can then be cultured into whole plants.
Cell culture and transformation

39. Transgenic Crops: Development
Objectives
First-generation GM crops
Herbicide resistance:- Corn,Soybean,rice,and Sugar beet
Insect Pest resistance:- Corn, rice tomato and potato
Viral resistance:- Papaya, Squash and potato
Slow ripening and softening- Tomato and melon
Improved oil quality -Canola and soybean
Male sterility - Canola and corn

40. Second generation of GM crops
Increased levels of protein
Modified and healthier fats
Modified carbohydrates
Improved flavor characteristics
 Increased levels of micronutrients
Third generation of GM crops
Resistance to abiotic stress
“Pharmaplants”
Conti..

41. Transgenic Breeding for Insect
Resistance
Crop Gene
inserte
d
Resistance to Vector Achievement Year
1) Cotton Cry
gene
comple
x
Bollworm complex Agrobacteriu
m
tumefacience
1) 1 st Bt cotton in world
by Monsanto Ltd.
USA.
2) 1st Bt cotton in india
- 1996 by
MAHYCO -
Monsanto Ltd.
1987
1996
2) Brinjal Cry 1 Ab Fruit and
shoot borer
Agrobacteriu
m
tumefacience
1) 1 st transgenic (Bt)
Brinjal in world (
USA)
2004
3) Cabbage Cry
gene
comple
x
Cabbage
worm and
cabbage
looper
Agrobacteriu
m
tumefacience
1) 1 st transgenic (Bt)
Cabbage in world
(USA)
2002
4)Maize Cry gene
complex
European Corn
Borer
Agrobacterium
tumefacience
1) 1st Transgenic maize in
world is Maximizer (Spain)
by Company Ciba Geigy
1995
5)Okra Cry 1 Ab Fruit and
shoot borer
Agrobacteriu
m
1) 1 st Transgenic okra
in world by U.S.A.
2002

42. Crop Gene
inserted
Resistance
to
Vector Achievement Year
6) Potato Cry-gene complex Colorado
potato
beetle
Agrobacteriu
m
tumefacience
First transgenic potato in
world – Monsanto Ltd.
U.S.A.
1995
7) Apple Cry-1-Ac Codling moth Agrobacteriu
m
tumefacience
First transgenic Apple in
world by U.S.A.
2000
8) Soybean Cry-1-Ac Leaf
eating
catterpilla
r
Agrobacteriu
m
tumefacience
First transgenic Soybean
in world – Monsanto Ltd.
U.S.A.
1996
9) Sugar cane Cry-1-Ab Stem borer Agrobacterium
tumefacience
First transgenic Sugar
cane in world – U.S.A.
DNA plant technology
company
1997
10) Tomato Cry-1-Ac Tobacco
horn worm
Agrobacteriu
m
tumefacience
First transgenic Tomato
in world – U.S.A by
Calgene company
1987
11)Tobacco Trypsin
inhibitor gene
from cowpea
Leaf
eating
catterpilla
r
Agrobacteriu
m
tumefacience
First transgenic tobacco
resistant to leaf eating
catterpillar was developed
in USA.
2001.
Source – Esseentials of Plant Breeding

43. Transgenic breeding for keeping quality
Crop Gene inserted Traits Vector Achievement
1) Tomato - a) Delay
ripening
a) Agrobacteriu
m
tumefacience
b) Antisense RNA
technology
c)Agrobacteriu
m
tumefacience
a) Variety :
Endless
summer
by DNA
plant
technolog
y
company
1995
b) Delay fruit
softening
b) Flavr Savr
b
y Calgene
company in
1994
c) Thicker
skin and
Alter
c) By
Zeneca
compan

44. Crop Gene inserted Traits Vector Achievement
2) Apple ACC oxidase
gene
Delay ripening Agrobacteriu
m
tumefacience
In scion
cultivar
ROYAL GALA
is
developed
3) Banana ACC gene Delay ripening Agrobacteriu
m
tumefacience
Cavendish 1
4) Mango Rol C gene Storage and
delay
ripening
Agrobacteriu
m
tumefacience
Golden yellow
( Source - AGROBIAS Newsletter. 2006).

45. Transgenic breeding for disease resistance
Crop Gene inserted Resistance to Vector Achievement
1) Potato PLRV-R PVX, PVY, PLRV Agrobacterium
tumefacience
First transgenic
potato in world by
– Monsanto Ltd.
U.S.A. 2000
2) Cumcumber GUS and Markar
gene NPT II
CMV, ZYMV, WMV 2 Agrobacteriu
m
tumefacience
First resistance
variety Beit
alpha MR
3) Faba bean Chitinase gene from
Seratica
marcescence
Chocolate
spot disease
Plasmid First
resistance
variety in
2002
4) Banana FR gene Panama wilt Plasmid First resistance
variety
isCavendish
5) Papaya PRVR gene Papaya ring
spot virus
Plasmid First resistance
variety is Sunup
and second
variety is
Rainbow in 1999

46. Transgenic breeding for Herbicide Resistance
Crop Gene transfer resistance to Vector Achivement
1.Rice Bar chimeric gene Hygromycine Plasmid Oryza sativa cv. IR 72
2.Nilgiri (Eucalyptus) Cry 3A Glufosinate
ammonium(Liberty@
6 l/ha)
Agrobacteriu
m
tumefacience
Variety-Ecofriend
3.Sugarcane PPTR(
phospinothricin
e resistant
gene)
Phosphinothricine Agrobacteriu
m
tumefacience
I st herbicide
resistant
sugarcane was
developed in USA.
4.Cotton Phosphinothric
acetyl transeferase
All non
selective
herbicides
Particle gun
bombardmen
t method
I st variety was
releasedIn year
2000.

47. Transgenic breeding for adding Male
sterility
Crop Gene inserted Source of gene
1.Rapeseed mustard msi (male sterility
iducing gene)
Bacillus
amyloliquefacien
ce
Source – Essentials of Plant Breeding ,
Transgenic breeding for drought
resistance
1.Drought resistance in sorghum
Gene transformed mlt D gene
Vector Agrobacterium tumefacience
Developed at CRIDA, Hyderabad
Number of transgenics released 14.

48. 2. Drought resistance in Wheat
1. Crop American bread wheat
2.Genes transformed mlt D
and
HVA 1.
3.Source of gene Osmotin gene complex
from Atriplex numularia
4. By Microprojectile
bombardment system
Transgenic breeding for changing morphological character
1. Crop Petunia
2. Character modified Orange flower colour
3.Gene transferred Dihydroflavanal 4 reductase
(FR) gene.
4.Source of gene Zea mays L. (Corn)
Original Petunia
Modified Petunia

49. Insect resistant cotton – Bt toxin
kills the cotton boll worm
 transgene = Bt protein
Insect resistant corn – Bt toxin
kills the European corn borer
 transgene = Bt protein
Agriculture Transgenics On the Market

50. Herbicide resistant crops
 Now: soybean, corn, canola
transgene = modified EPSP synthase or
phosphinothricin-N-acetyltransferase
Virus resistant papaya
• transgene = virus coat protein

51. Next Generation of Ag
Biotech Products
Golden Rice – increased Vitamin
A content
transgene = three pathway
enzymes
Sunflower – white mold
resistance
transgene = oxalate oxidase from
wheat

52. Global Status of Commercialized
Biotech/GM Crops
In 2017, the accumulated biotech crop area (planted since 1996)
surged to a record 2.3 billion hectares or 5.8 billion acres .Of the total
number of 24 countries planting biotech crops in 2017, 19 were
developing countries and 5 industrialized countries .
To put the 2017 global area of biotech crops into context, 189.8 million
hectares of biotech crops is equivalent to almost 20% of the total land
area of China (956 million hectares) or the USA (937 million hectares)
and more than 7 times the land area of the United Kingdom (24.4
million hectares).
The 3% increase between 2016 and 2017 is equivalent to 4.7 million
hectares or 11.6 million acres.( Source: ISAAA, 2017).

53. Global Adoption of Biotech
Soybean, Maize, Cotton, and
Canola
The most planted biotech crops in 2017 were soybean, maize,
cotton, and canola. Although there was only 3% increase in the
planting of biotech soybean, it maintained its high adoption rate of
50% of the global biotech crops or 94.1 million hectares. This area
is 80% of the total soybean production worldwide .
Biotech maize occupied 59.7 million hectares globally, which was
32% of the global maize production in 2017. A slight decline (1%)
in the biotech maize area from 2016 is due to the unfavorable
weather conditions in Latin America, low market price, lesser pest
incidence, high year-end stocks .

54. Biotech cotton was planted to 24.1 million hectares in 2017, which
indicates a decrease by 8% from 2016. The 8% increase in total
biotech cotton area globally was due mainly to the improved global
market value and the high adoption rate of insect resistant/herbicide
tolerant cotton in 2017.
Biotech canola increased by 19% from 8.6 million hectares in 2016
to 10.2 million hectares in 2016. This raise is attributed to the two-
digit increases in biotech canola plantings in the USA, Canada, and
Australia, addressing the demand for edible oil.

55. Discussion Questions
1. What are regulations supposed to achieve?
2. With GM crops spreading so quickly, how are we assured
of their health and environmental safety?
3. How is genetic engineering (biotechnology) regulated?
4. How do the risks posed by products of biotechnology
compare to those posed by conventional technologies?
5. How does biotechnology threaten biosafety?
6. How do different countries regulate products of
biotechnology?

56. Environmental concern And
Bio- safety Issues Related to BT
gene

57.  Bio-safety of human and animal health
 Labeling GM and non-GM food
 Antibiotic resistance genes in GM food
 Environmental concerns
 Gene transfer
 Effects on bio-diversity
 Public awareness
 Socio-economic issues
crops:

58. 1.Safety of source organism and genes
a. safety of inserted DNA
b. safety of DNA
c. safety of antibiotic resistance marker
2.Safety issue of newly developed product
a. potential for toxicity (protein product)
b. potential of allergencity(protein product)
c. safety of any unintended effects
3.Equivalence of composition
4.Retention of nutritional value
5.The human dietary exposure
Food safety
issues

59. • With the kind of concerns witnessed among the public, keeping
GM and non GM products separately with appropriate labelling ,
perhaps also through colour codes for illiterate people, may be
absolutely necessary.
• The related issue is the need for a certification agency specializing
in certifying the GM nature of a product.
• However, labeling may create confusion among consumers and
add to the cost of GM products.
Labeling GM and
non GM Food

60. • Another concern is the transfer of antibiotic resistance from the
GM food consumed by people into the bacteria inhabiting the
human gut, which might result in a disease causing bacterial
population to become resistant to antibiotics.
• The transgenic developers should continue to remove more
rapidly all such markers from GM plants and utilize alternative
markers for the selection of new varieties.
Resistance to
Antibiotics

61. • Effect of transgenic plants on population dynamics of target and
non target pests
• Secondary pest problems
• Insect sensitivity
• Evolution of new insect biotypes
• Environmental influence on gene expression
• Development of resistance in insect population
• Development of resistance to herbicide
Environmental
Concerns

63. Direct effects on non-target organisms
In May 1999, it was reported
that pollen from Bacillus
thuringiensis (Bt) insect resistant
corn had a negative impact on
Monarch butterfly larvae.
This report raised concerns and
questions about potential risks to
Monarchs and perhaps other non-
target organisms.

64. Development of insect resistance
The use of Bt crops is that it will lead
to the development of insect resistance
to Bt
•Insect resistance management plans
have been developed by government,
industry, and scientists to address this
issue
– These plans include a requirement that
every field of insect-resistant crops must
have an associated refuge of non-GM
crops in order for the insects to develop
without selection to the insect resistant
varieties.

65. Gene flow
• Accidental cross breeding
GMO plants and
between
traditional
pollen
Varieties
transfer
through
can
contaminate the traditional
local varieties with GMO genes
resulting in the loss of
traditional varieties of the
farmers.

66. Increased weediness
•Weediness means the tendency of the plant to
spread beyond the field where it was first
planted.
•There are apprehensions about GM crops
becoming weeds.
• For example, a salt tolerant GM crop if escapes
into marine areas could become a potent weed .
•There is also fear about the development of
superweeds i.e. a weed that has acquired the
herbicide tolerant gene due to genetic
Contamination.
•With a herbicide tolerance GMO through in field
cross breeding to related species or through
horizontal gene transfer.

67. • GM crops could lead to erosion of biodiversity and 'pollute' gene
pools of endangered plant species.
• The large acreage of elite varieties have pushed and will
continue to push the landraces out of cultivation
• The potential transfer of a transgene to local flora to and its any
possible subsequent impact on specific plant species is thus an
issue that needs to be kept in view before commercial release of
specific transgenes.
Effect on
Biodiversity

68. Consumer response depends on perceptions about risks and
benefits of genetically modified foods.
In order to maximize the trust, it is essential that relevant and
reliable information about the genetically modified food is
communicated to the consumers and stake holders.
The media, individuals, scientists and administrators, politicians
and NGO have the responsibility to educate the people about the
benefits of GM foods.
Public
Attitude

69. Potential benefits to the consumers and farmers.
Due to increasing seed market, the developing countries may get
dependent on few suppliers.
Countries with effective and efficient technology will obtain and
sustain advantage of international market.
Reservation of E.U. for acceptance of GM crops.
economic
issues

70. Genetic engineering creates novel genetic combinations
All GMOs are tested for potential environmental impacts prior
to sale
•influence on soil and water composition
•insect resistance management
•gene/trait transfer to weedy relatives
•interactions with agricultural environment
GMO Crops Have Many Significant Environmental Benefits
•Reduced chemical pesticide and herbicide use
•More sustainable pest management
•Better erosion control through no-till practices
fits

71. Registration of transgenic agricultural
organisms

72. •The Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) and products
thereof are regulated articles in India in view of potential risks
to human health and environment by indiscriminate use under
“Rules for Manufacture, Use, Import, Export and Storage of
Hazardous Microorganisms/Genetically engineered organisms
or cells, 1989 under the EPA (1986)”.
• India has ratified the Biosafety Protocol in January 2003
Biosafety Framework Government
Commitment

73. The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to the Convention on
Biological Diversity has been ratified and signed by 171 parties
(Fabruary 2018).
According to the Cartagena Protocol, field trials and all other
activities involving genetically modified organisms must be
regulated and approved by national governments.
Regulatory and Approval system for
release of GM plant

74. The European Community (EC)
and Development
Organization for Economic Cooperation
(OECD)
WHO/FAO Working Group on Biosafety
on the Environment and
United Nations Conference
Development (UNCED)
Codex Alimentarius Commission
Agencies of the World

75. Government of India
Department of
Biotechnology
Ministry of Environment
,forest & Climate Change
RDAC RCGM GEAC
Institutional Biosafety
Committee
State Biotechnology
Coordination Committee
District Level Committee
Indian biosafety regulatory framework

76. for field trials and
environmental release of
transgenic crops.
Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBSC)
(Forwarding applications for approval of RCGM)
Review Committee on Genetic Manipulation (RCGM)
(green house experiments, contained field trails i.e .in –house trial /intial hybrid trial,
generation of data on gene stability and expression , biosafetydata)
RCGM
(approval for conduct of multi-location field trials on selected varieties )/hybrid)and
biosafety data)
Evaluation of field trails by Monitoring –Cum-Evaluation Committee
(MEC) Through SAUs

77. Genetic Engineering Approval Committee(GEAC)
Seed production 10 ha ICAR trials 1St year
Large Scale Trials
(LST)
Large Scale Trials (LST) Seed production 100ha ICAR trials 2St year
MEC
GEAC
(Enviornmental clearance of the event/gene in a given backgrounnd)
Material cleared from Enviornmental sensitivity by MoEF/ or otherwise
Conti.....

78. Future
Prospects
Future envisaged applications of GMOs are diverse and include
drugs in food, bananas that produce human vaccines against
infectious diseases such as Hepatitis B, metabolically engineered fish
that mature more quickly, fruit and nut trees that yield years earlier,
and plants that produce new plastics with unique properties.
While their practicality or efficacy in commercial production has
yet to be fully tested, the next decade may see exponential increases
in GM product development as researchers gain increasing access to
genomic resources that are applicable to organisms beyond the
scope of individual projects.
Safety testing of these products will also at the same time be
necessary to ensure that the perceived benefits will indeed outweigh
the perceived and hidden costs of development.

79. Biotech crops is not a panacea; but they have the potential to
make a substantial contribution in cutting poverty by half, by
optimizing crop productivity, which can be achieved by public-
private sector partnerships.

80. • The development of Transgenic plants is the result of
integrated application of rDNA technology,Gene transfer
methods and Tissue culture techniques.
• Transgenic plants are designed to acquire useful quality
attributes such as insect resistance, herbicide tolerance, abiotic
stress tolerance, disease resistance, high nutritional quality,
high yield
potential, delayed ripening, enhanced ornamental value, male
transgenic crops before
sterility, and production of edible vaccines.
Biosafety regulations required to assess the safety of
its release in to environment.
“The controversy about the health safety of Transgenic
foods is complex and good science and its communication are
required in order to find solutions”

81. Case studies :
1. Socio-Economic Impact of Bt Cotton — A Case Study of Karnataka
V.R. Kiresur and Manjunath Ichangi
University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad-580 005, Karnataka
The performance Bt technology and its impact on farming community have
been assessed in northern Karnataka based mainly on primary data processed
using production functions, decomposition analysis and logit model. On an
average, per farm area under Bt cotton was 2.21 ha, accounting for 66 per cent
of the total landholding. With a yield of 24 q/ha, Bt cotton has registered 31 per
cent higher yield and 151 per cent higher net return over non-Bt, the net
additional benefit being ` 18429/ha. The non-Bt cotton farmers use chemical
fertilizers, organic manures and bullock labour excessively which result in a
lower net returns. Technology has been found the major contributor to the total
productivity difference between Bt and nonBt cottons. Seed cost, yield of Bt
cotton and cost of plant protection have been found to greatly influence the
probability of adoption of Bt cotton.

82. Non-availability of quality seeds and in required quantity have been identified as the
most important factors constraining Bt technology adoption. The impact of Bt cotton, as
perceived by the farmers, has been in terms of enhanced yield; reduced pest and
disease incidence; increased income, employment, education and standard of living;
and reduced health risk. To foster adoption, availability of quality and quantity of Bt
cotton seed to farmers needs greater attention of development agencies, while
researchers’ attention is called for incorporating resistance/ tolerance to Spodoptera and
pink bollworms.
2.Genetically Modified Crops in India: The Bt Brinjal Controversy
The Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC)5 announced approval for large
scale field trials for Bt brinjal6 in September 2007, and probably its commercialization
by early 2009. It also cleared proposals for biosafety studies for other food crops such
as okra (lady's finger), rice, and tomatoes.
In February 2008, the apex legislative body in India, the Supreme Court, revoked the
ban it had earlier placed on the approval of large scale field trials of transgenic crops.
Following this announcement, Bt brinjal became a hotly debated topic among
activists, scientists, farmers and Multi National Companies (MNCs).

83. Thank You