What are the reasons for the people’s resistance to the introduction of Bt brinjal in India?
- Bt brinjal has been created by inserting a gene from a soil fungus into its genome.
- The seeds of Bt brinjal are terminator seeds and therefore, the farmers have to buy the seeds before every season from the seed companies.
- There is an apprehension that the consumption of Bt brinjal may have an adverse impact on health.
- There is some concern that the introduction of Bt brinjal may have an adverse effect on biodiversity.
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
Detailed Explanation:
❌ Statement 1 – Incorrect: Bt brinjal is created by inserting the Cry1Ac gene from Bacillus thuringiensis, a soil bacterium, not a fungus, to provide resistance against the Brinjal Fruit and Shoot Borer (BFSB).
❌ Statement 2 – Incorrect: Bt brinjal seeds are not terminator seeds; they do not contain Genetic Use Restriction Technology (GURT) that prevents seed saving and reuse.
✅ Statement 3 – Correct: Major resistance stems from apprehensions about adverse health impacts, including concerns about allergenicity, toxicity, and lack of long-term independent safety studies on human consumption.
✅ Statement 4 – Correct: India is a center of origin and diversity for brinjal; concerns exist that cross-pollination with wild and local varieties could lead to genetic contamination and loss of indigenous biodiversity.
Question 4 of 4 GM Crops and Biosafety
Practice PYQ questions from this topic across all years
With reference to agriculture in India, how can the technique of ‘genome sequen...
All questions in this topic completed!