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#GM crops

17 public questions tagged with this topic.

Transgenic Plant -2

Worldwide most cultivated transgenic crop is:

Worldwide area under biotech crops exceeded 206 million hectares in 2023, with herbicide tolerant soybean dominant accounting ~97.8 million hectares nearly 50 percent total, surpassing Bt cotton 25 million, Bt maize 60 million and herbicide tolerant maize. Event GTS 40-3-2 Roundup Ready soybean developed by Monsanto expresses glyphosate-insensitive 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase EPSPS from Agrobacterium sp. strain CP4, which retains catalytic activity condensing shikimate-3-phosphate with phosphoenolpyruvate even in presence of glyphosate that normally inhibits aromatic amino acid biosynthesis in weeds and crops. This trait enables post-emergence over-the-top application of broad-spectrum herbicide glyphosate simplifying weed management, facilitating conservation tillage reducing soil erosion and fuel use, compatible with large-scale mechanized farming in USA, Brazil, Argentina which together produce 80 percent global soybean. Economic benefits including reduced labor, flexible spray timing and cost savings drive adoption despite weed resistance evolution. Nutritionally enhanced Golden Rice, virus resistant papaya occupy minor area due to regulatory and acceptance barriers.

Ref: ISAAA Global Status 2023 Soybean dominance; Duke & Powles 2008 EPSPS glyphosate; Nature.

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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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Transgenic Plant -2

First GM crop approved for human consumption was:

Flavr Savr tomato developed by Calgene Inc., Davis, California, holds historical status as first genetically modified whole food approved for commercial sale and human consumption. FDA completed voluntary consultation DST 1994 after molecular characterization, Southern blot showing two contiguous T-DNA inserts, compositional analysis comparing sugars, acids, lycopene, vitamin C, glycoalkaloids to non-transgenic parent, toxicity assessment of NPTII at acute dosing in mice, and allergenicity search revealing no homology to known allergens. USDA APHIS determined nonregulated status under 7CFR 340. The antisense PG technology suppressed fruit pectinase reducing softening, allowing vine ripening improving flavor yet extending shelf life, addressing post-harvest losses estimated 20-30%. Despite approval, commercial cultivation failed due to yield drag, high licensing costs, anti-GMO activism, labeling debates and distribution logistics, withdrawn by 1997. Nevertheless regulatory precedent established principle of substantial equivalence, case-by-case safety assessment, voluntary labeling framework later applied to Roundup Ready soybean, Bt cotton, Golden Rice and other transgenic crops, marking transition from laboratory genetics to food biotechnology era and shaping public perception.

Ref: Redenbaugh et al. Safety assessment Flavr Savr FDA 1992; Bruening & Lyons 2000 Food Chem Toxicol.

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Transgenic Plant -1

Worldwide maximum cultivated transgenic crop is:

International Service for Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications annually reports global adoption of GM crops. Historical data from 1996 to 2023 demonstrates herbicide tolerance trait dominates both by trait type and crop species. Among crops, soybean engineered for glyphosate tolerance occupied largest area, reaching over 94 million hectares in 2019, accounting for about half of all GM hectarage. Drivers include high demand for protein meal for animal feed, suitability of herbicide tolerance for large-scale mechanized farming in United States, Brazil, Argentina, adoption of no-till practices conserving soil moisture. Bt cotton occupies second but substantially less area. Edible vaccines and Golden rice remain uncommercialized or limited. Economic analysis shows herbicide tolerant soybean reduced production costs and simplified weed management compared to conventional. Therefore statistical surveys consistently identify herbicide resistant soybean as most widely cultivated transgenic crop worldwide, illustrating market preference for input trait providing management convenience over output traits requiring consumer acceptance. Adoption data illustrates correlation between herbicide tolerance trait and conservation tillage practices reducing soil erosion and carbon emissions. Continued dominance of soybean indicates farmer preference for simplified weed management enabling timely planting over high-value specialty traits requiring niche markets and identity preservation systems.

Ref: ISAAA Brief 55 2019 global status herbicide tolerant soybean dominant; James ISAAA 2014; NCBI NBK131103 statistics; https://www.isaaa.org/resources/publications/briefs/55/

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Transgenic Plant -1

Major concern in commercialization of GM crops is:

Ecological risk assessment of genetically modified crops prioritizes likelihood and consequence of transgene movement into natural populations. Pollen dispersal by wind or pollinators can fertilize compatible wild relatives growing near fields, introducing transgene into weedy gene pool. If trait confers selective advantage such as herbicide tolerance allowing survival in managed landscapes or insect resistance increasing fitness, introgressed individuals may increase frequency. Concerns include loss of genetic diversity, altered ecosystem interactions, and development of weeds difficult to control. Factors influencing gene flow include flowering synchrony, compatibility, and distance isolation. Regulatory dossiers require outcrossing rate estimation using trap plants and molecular markers. While low yield or poor germination are agronomic issues evaluated during variety testing, gene flow to weedy relatives remains primary environmental concern shaping buffer zone requirements, stewardship plans, and public debate about commercial cultivation of GM crops in centers of origin. Isolation distances of 200 meters for canola and 50 meters for maize recommended by OECD to limit cross-pollination to below 0.1 percent threshold. Monitoring includes PCR detection of transgene in wild relative seed lots. Socio-economic concerns include coexistence of organic and GM farming systems. Scientific consensus recognizes gene flow as manageable through biological containment and good agricultural

Ref: Dale Plant Biotech J 2002 gene flow; Ellstrand Annu Rev Ecol Syst 2003; NCBI NBK131103 biosafety; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK131103/

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