Abstract

Regulatory and Biosafety issues in GM Crops

Shashi Kumar, Group Leader, ICGEB

There is logjam over the approval of field trials for new genetically modified (GM) crops in India due to pending legal case in the Supreme Court of India against the release of any genetically modified organisms (GMOs) into the natural environment, which lacks the transparent and rigorous bio-safety test protocols. There are several biosafety, and environmental risks are associated with GM organisms due to which the ecological risk assessment of GM crops for mass commercial cultivation and the potential impact of its escape into the natural environment are significant concerns, which may impact our ecological balance of existing plants. The pro-biotech scientists are not able to assess the fate of their important GM crops, such as Bt-Brinjal, barstar-barnase hybrid mustard and golden rice, etc. funded by the Indian government to feed its booming population. Several national and international companies and public funded institutions are waiting for the field trials clearance for GM varieties like cotton, maize, rice, wheat and castor. It is hoped that the logjam on GM crops will be over soon if poverty and hunger have to be fought head-on since India lags behind in the world average yield of crops. Moreover, India agriculture is facing the problem of climate change, shrinking cultivation land, water resources and deterioration of soil quality. Therefore, to fulfill the need of our booming population, we need better crops with pest resistance, enhanced nutrition and higher yields, which can be addressed via genetic engineering approach. The government introduced a BRAI Bill 2013 in Parliament that will allow Indian scientists to conduct GM field trails without any interference. Currently it is pending with the Parliamentary Standing Committee for the approval. The GM organisms, in general, are less fit than their wild-type counterparts due to their unique nutrient requirements and excess transgene-load. Moreover, chloroplast engineering is an alternative GM methodolo