Context

After the clearance for GM-Mustard crops for field trials, the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) is going to recommend an ‘environmental release’ of genetically modified (GM) cotton. 

GEAC is a body under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change that appraises GM products for their testing and commercialization (environmental release).

Background

• Nearly two decades ago, a genetically modified type of cotton, known as Bt cotton, was introduced to India to reduce farmers’ insecticide use.
• Though the effects of Bt cotton on farmers’ yield vary across Indian states, most states show a decrease in insecticide use since the introduction of Bt cotton.
• A reduction in insecticide use may be beneficial for farmers’ health and the environment by reducing pollutants.
  
  

About

About BG-II RRF cotton: Earlier, the BG-II RRF cotton had already undergone biosafety research and field trials by 2012-13. Bollgard II Roundup Ready Flex (BG-2 RRF) is a herbicide-tolerant and insect-resistant variety of BT cotton. BGII RRF offers protection against weeds such as American Bollworm, besides continuing protection against insects. India has already allowed commercial use of BG-1 and BG-2 GM cotton while the approval for the BG-2 RRF has been pending at various stages.

Recent GM-Cotton alterations:

• A German multinational company ‘Bayer AG’is going to introduce a modification in cotton plants that will allow farmers to spray the herbicide ‘glyphosate’.
• The transgenic cotton — Bollgard II Roundup Ready Flex (BG-II RRF) contains three alien genes; the first two (‘cry1Ac’ and ‘cry2Ab’) are isolated from a soil bacterium,
  • Bacillus thuringiensis or Bt, and coding for proteins toxic to the American bollworm, spotted bollworm, and tobacco caterpillar insect pests.
  • The third gene, ‘cp4-epsps’, is sourced from another soil bacterium, Agrobacterium tumafaciens.

Significance:

• Its incorporation into cotton makes the crop “tolerant”to glyphosate.
• This herbicide cannot be applied on normal cotton, as the chemical does not distinguish between the crops and weeds.