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#India

27 public questions tagged with this topic.

Transgenic Plant -2

Commercial cultivation of GM crops in India is approved for:

Commercial cultivation of genetically modified crops in India regulated under Environment Protection Act EPA 1986, Rules 1989, with Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee GEAC as apex body assessing biosafety, food and feed safety, environmental impact, gene flow to wild relatives and weedy relatives. Despite extensive confined field trials for Bt brinjal expressing Cry1Ac for fruit and shoot borer resistance, Dhara Mustard Hybrid DMH-11 incorporating barnase-barstar hybrid breeding system, and chickpea resistant to pod borer, only Bt cotton containing single or stacked Cry1Ac and Cry2Ab toxins for lepidopteran control received commercial approval in 2002, rapidly adopted by smallholders covering 12 million hectares over 95 percent cotton area, increasing yield and reducing pesticide sprays. Bt brinjal event EE-1 cleared by GEAC 2009 but Environment Minister imposed indefinite moratorium 2010 after public consultations citing inadequate chronic toxicity studies, potential antibiotic marker concerns, socioeconomic impacts and center-state federal issues since agriculture state subject. DMH-11 mustard environmental release approved 2022 but Supreme Court interim order stalled. Thus India remains cotton-only GM nation contrasting USA Brazil.

Ref: ISAAA Brief 58 India 2023; GEAC MoEFCC; Choudhary & Gaur Curr Sci 2020 India GM.

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Plant Breeding 1

Which disease was introduced to India through plant introduction?

Historical evidence documents inadvertent pathogen establishment via planting material. Coffee rust caused by Hemileia vastatrix, basidiomycete producing orange urediniospores on lower leaf surface causing chlorosis and premature defoliation, originated in Sri Lanka then Ceylon and entered India in 1876 through infected seedlings imported for plantation expansion. Epidemic destroyed Arabica areas in Western Ghats, forcing shift to robusta Coffea canephora which carries resistance SH genes. Similar introductions: late blight Phytophthora infestans through Europe, bunchy top virus of banana via suckers. Mycelium survival in vegetative propagules escapes visual inspection, emphasizing need for molecular diagnostics, ELISA and post-entry isolation growing. Lesson reinforced need for stringent phytosanitary certification before cultivar release. This understanding supports competitive exam preparation for NEET, GATE and CSIR NET concepts linking genotype with phenotype through molecular pathways involving transcription factors, hormones and metabolic enzymes that regulate development, adaptation and reproductive biology in applied breeding programs. Additional insights from genomic studies reveal QTL clusters, epigenetic modifications and protein interactions that influence trait expression under varied agro-climatic conditions and management.

Ref: Indian Coffee Board history rust introduction; NCERT Plant Disease introduction case; Singh BD Disease introduction chapter.

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Plant Breeding 1

Which agency is responsible for plant introduction in India?

National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources established in 1976 under Indian Council Agricultural Research functions as nodal sole agency harmonizing all plant introduction activities nationwide. Mandate includes issuance of import permits, post-entry quarantine growing, germplasm conservation in National Genebank at Pusa Campus maintaining over 400,000 accessions, evaluation, documentation and distribution to breeders via Material Transfer Agreements. Its Plant Quarantine Division coordinates with Directorate Plant Protection, customs and regional stations at Shimla for temperate crops, Jodhpur for arid legumes, Thrissur for spices and Shillong for Northeast diversity. Compliance with Plant Quarantine Order and Biodiversity Act enforced. Other organizations like Botanical Survey of India focuses on wild flora taxonomy and Forest Research Institute on timber species, not crop germplasm introduction responsibility. This understanding supports competitive exam preparation for NEET, GATE and CSIR NET concepts linking genotype with phenotype through molecular pathways involving transcription factors, hormones and metabolic enzymes that regulate development, adaptation and reproductive biology in applied breeding programs.

Ref: NBPGR Official Mandate nbpgr.ernet.in; ICAR Handbook Agriculture; Singh Phundan Plant Breeding Achievements chapter NBPGR.

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Plant Breeding 1

Water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) was introduced to India as:

Water hyacinth Eichhornia crassipes is free-floating perennial from Amazon basin with spongy petioles providing aerenchyma buoyancy and showy lavender flowers borne on spikes, rendering it attractive for ornamental ponds. British colonial botanical gardens introduced it to Bengal circa 1890 as decorative aquatic. Biology favors invasion: stolons produce clonal rosettes doubling biomass within 6 to 18 days under eutrophic conditions, seeds remain viable decades in sediment, and high evapotranspiration depletes water. Absence of coevolved biocontrol agents like Neochetina eichhorniae weevils allowed unchecked spread across lakes, rivers and irrigation channels, reducing dissolved oxygen, impeding navigation and increasing mosquito breeding habitat. Thus horticultural introduction turned into aggressive ecological weed, now managed under integrated weed management with mechanical removal and biological agents. This understanding supports competitive exam preparation for NEET, GATE and CSIR NET concepts linking genotype with phenotype through molecular pathways involving transcription factors, hormones and metabolic enzymes that regulate development, adaptation and reproductive biology in applied breeding programs.

Ref: CABI Invasive Species Compendium Eichhornia; NCERT XII Biology Invasive Alien Species; CSIR Weed review.

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Plant Breeding 1

Which wheat varieties were introduced from Mexico to India?

During 1963-64 Indian scientists tested Mexican dwarf wheats at IARI and multiple coordinated centers. Among introduced germplasm, Lerma Rojo 64 and Sonora 64 consistently produced 4 to 5 tons per hectare compared to 0.8 to 1 ton from tall Indian landraces NP4 and NP52. Sonora 64 itself descended from cross Yaqui 50 x Norin 10-Brevor, carrying Rht genes for reduced height. From a yellow grain mutant of Sonora 64 selected under gamma irradiation in India, Kalyan Sona was developed by S.P. Kohli, noted for amber grain and wide adaptation. Sonalika was selection from same Mexican bulk, later designated HD 1553. Both varieties matured early, responded to irrigation, showed resistance to brown rust genes Yr and Lr, and possessed high harvest index. Their rapid release in 1965 catalyzed Green Revolution, leading to subsequent elite lines like Safed Lerma and Chhoti Lerma through regional selection. This understanding supports competitive exam preparation for NEET, GATE and CSIR NET concepts linking genotype with phenotype through molecular pathways involving transcription factors, hormones and metabolic enzymes that regulate development, adaptation and reproductive biology in applied breeding programs.

Ref: ICAR-IARI Bulletin 1965 Kalyan Sona release; Vikas Pedia Wheat Green Revolution; NBPGR History of introduction 1963.

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