PRESENT STATUS OF TRANSGENIC CROPS GLOBALLY AND IN INDIA

1. welcome

2. Presented by
A.G.H.C.Prasad
M.sc(Ag) Entomology
ANGRAU

3. INTRODUCTION
• The first 20 years of commercialization of biotech crops (1996
to 2015) has confirmed that biotech crops have delivered
substantial agronomic, environmental, economic and
social benefits to farmers, and increasingly to the consumers.
• Productivity gained in the last 20 years through biotech crops
also proves that conventional crop technology alone cannot
allow us to feed the immense increase in population

4. • More than 18 million farmers (up to 90% were small/poor
farmers) in up to 30 countries Global Status of
Commercialized Biotech/GM Crops First Year after Two
Decades who have planted biotech crops attest to
The multiple benefits they derived in the last 20 years as follows:
• Increased productivity that contributes to global food, feed
and fibre security.
• Self-sufficiency on a nation’s arable land.
• Conserving biodiversity, precluding deforestation and
protecting biodiversity sanctuaries.
• Mitigating challenges associated with climate change.
• Improving economic, health and social benefits.

5. HISTORY
The first genetically modified plant was produced in
1982, using an antibiotic-resistant tobacco plant
The first genetically modified crop approved for sale in
the U.S., in 1994, was the Flavr savr tomato, having
longer shelf life.
The peoples republic of china was the first country to
allow commercialised transgenic plants introducing
virus resistant tobacco in 1992, which was
wuthdrawn in 1997.

6. • In 1994, the European union approved tobacco
engineered to be resistance to the herbicide
bromoxynil.
• In 1995, Bt potato was approved by US
Environmental protection agency, making it
country’s first pesticide producing crop.
• In 2000, vit-A enriched golden rice was
developed though as of 2016 it was not yet in
commercial production.

7. TRANSGENIC PLANT…?
Transgenic plants are plants that have been
genetically engineered, a breeding approach that uses
recombinant DNA techniques to create plants with new
characteristics.
• The inserted sequence is known transgene.

8. Transgenic Crops: Development Objectives
• Integrated pest management.
• Herbicide tolerance.
• Nutritional enhancements.
• Product quality improvement.
• Increase in yield.
• Stress tolerance.
• Plant based pharmaceuticals

9. Types of GM Foods
• The first generation biotech crops catered to farmers and
food producers to increase yield and resist biotic stresses.
• The second generation biotech crops includes stacking IR/HT
traits and those traits that can help mitigate the effects of
climate change.
• The third generation of biotech crops will include ones that
will cater to consumers and the food and manufacturing
industry.

10. • The focus for third generation biotech crops is on developing
output traits for improved product quality and composition
such as modified oils
 Omega-3 fatty acids and high oleic acid in soybean,
 Modified starch/sugar (potato),
 Low-lignin (alfalfa),
 Non-browning fruits (potatoes, apples)
 Increased beta-carotene, ferritin, and Vitamin E in major staple
crops, which are in the advanced stages of development.

12. Different traits in transgenic crops
s.no., Transgenic trait Crops
1
Insect resistance Corn, Cotton, Potato, Tomato
2 Herbicide tolerance
Corn, Soybean, Cotton, Canola,
Sugar beet, Rice, Flax
3 Virus resistance Papaya, Squash, Potato
4 Altered oil composition Canola, Soybean
5 Delayed fruit ripening Tomato
6 Male sterility and restorer
system
(used to facilitate plant
breeding)
Chicory, Corn

13. Cry gene resistant against some insects
s.no.
,
Crops Gene Target pests
1 Cotton Cry 1Ab/Cry 1 Ac Bollworms
2 Corn Cry 1Ab European corn borer
Cry1H/Cry 9c European corn borer
3 Potato Cry III a Colorado potato beetle
Cry1 Ab Tuber moth
4 Rice Cry 1Ab/Cry1Ac Stem borers and leaf
folders
5 Tomato Cry1Ac Fruit borers
6 Egg plant Cry 1Ab/Cry 1B Shoot borer and fruit borer
7 Anola Cry 1Ac Diamond back moth
8 Soya bean Cry 1Ac Soya bean looper
ARUN KUMAR SINGH AND M.N. LAL., 2011

14. Trait distribution in approved events, 1992-
2016

15. Global area of biotech crops, 1996 to 2016,
by trait (million hectares)

16. GLOBAL SCENARIO
Crops approved for commercial use
• First crop introduced was Flavr Savr tomato in USA
in 1994, which got approval for sale.
• So far 20 crops approved for commercial cultivation
in different countries.
• Only four crops being marketed commercially I.e.,
corn, cotton, soybean and canola.

17. • Commercial production initiated for papaya, squash,
rice and alfalfa in USA and other countries, Others
are approved but not yet being marketed.
• Major characteristics are insect resistance, herbicide
tolerance, virus resistance and improved product
quality.
• Major countries include USA, Canada, Japan, China,
India, Brazil, EU, Argentina, South Africa

19. Distribution of Biotech Crops , by Country
• A total of 26 countries, 19 developing and 7
industrial countries, planted biotech crops in
2016. The top ten countries, each of which
grew over 1 million hectares in 2016.
• An additional 16 countries grew a total of
approximately 4.9 million hectares in 2016

21. Global area of biotech crops,1996 to 2016
industrial and developing countries(million hectares)

22. SOURCE: ISAAA , 2016
Distribution of Biotech Crops , by Country

23. Global area of biotech crops, 1996 to 2016
by crop (million hectares)

24. Global adoption rates (%) for principal biotech crops
and conventionally grown crops,
2016 (million hectares)

25. STATUS OF GM CROPS IN INDIA
Crops approved for commercial use
• Only one crop approved i.e. Bt cotton.
• India cultivated its first transgenic Bt cotton crop, which was
developed in the private sector, on 0.05 million hectares in
the year 2002.
• Three hybrids containing Cry1Ac gene approved in 2002 and
one in 2004.
• In 2009, transgenic Bt cotton was cultivated by 5.6 million
farmers on 8.6 million hectares.

26. • 11.2 million hectares In 2016, by 7.2 million cotton farmers.
• India now occupies second position in terms of global cotton
production by turning out 35 million bales of cotton in 2010.
• Six hybrids approved for northern states in 2005. 62 hybrids
approved for Kharif 2006.
• Three new events approved I.e
i. Cry1Ac gene (event 1) by M/s J.K. Agri Seeds Ltd.
ii. Fusion genes (cry 1Ab+cry 1Ac) 'GFM by M/s Nath Seeds
iii. Stacked genes cry1Ac and cry1Ab by M/s MAHYCO A

27. Bt Cotton
• Globally, The area planted to biotech upland cotton globally in
2016 was 22.3 million hectares down from 24.0 million
hectares in 2015, a decrease of 7% .
• In India, In 2016, 7.2 million cotton farmers adopted IR
cotton representing 96% of estimated 11.2 million hectares.
slightly less than 7.7 million in 2015.

28. Fifteen years of adoption of IR (Bt) cotton in
india, 2002 to 2006

29. • The major states growing IR cotton in 2016 include
Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, Madhya
Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu
and Odisha.
• Insect resistant cotton- Bt toxin kills the cotton boll worm,
transgene is Bt gene from bacillus thuringenisis.
• Single gene Bollgard-1 cotton hybrids controlling the menace
of the American bollworm complex.

30. • Bollgard-II (BG-II™) cotton hybrids introduced in 2006.
Which provided additional protection to Spodoptera
(a leaf eating tobacco caterpillar) while protecting cotton crop
from American bollworm, pink bollworm and spotted
bollworm.
• It was reported that double gene IR cotton farmers earned a
higher profit through cost savings associated with fewer sprays
for Spodoptera control
• As well as increasing yield by 8-10% over single gene IR
cotton hybrids.

31. Bt COTTON HYBRIDS APPROVED
IN INDIA
S.NO. ZONE COMPANY HYBRID
1 North Nuziveedu Seeds
Ltd
NCS 138 Bt.
Rasi Seeds Ltd RCH – 134 Bt, RCH 308 Bt., RCH
– 317 Bt, RCH 314 Bt
2 South MAHYCO MRC – 6322 Bt, MRC – 6918 Bt,
MRC-7351 BG II, MRC 7201 BG
II
Nath Seeds Ltd. NCEH-3 R
Rasi Seeds Ltd RCH – 20 Bt, RCH – 368 Bt, RCH
111 BG I, RCH-371 BG I, RCHB-
708 BG I
Nath Seeds Ltd NCEH-3 R
3 North/Central/ Nuziveedu Seeds
Ltd
NCS-913 Bt. South

32. Resistance to Bt
• In Nov 2009, Monsanto scientists found the pink bollworm
had become resistant to first generation (Cry1Ac) Bt cotton in
parts of Gujarat, India.
• Additionally to pink boll worm Indian meal moth (a common
grain pest ) is developing resistance
• Also in cabbage looper ,a mutation in membrane transporter
ABCC2 can confer resistance to bacillus thuringiensis.
• Monsanto introduced second generation(Cry2Ab) cotton.

33. BIOTECH SOYABEAN

34. Biotech Maize
• Biotech maize occupied 60.6 million hectares in 2016, 13%
higher than the 2015 area.
The increased hectarage was due to:
 Favourable market prices.
 Demand for bio fuel and animal feeds.
 Increased European corn borer infestation in parts of Europe.
• Insect resistant corn – Bt protein kills the European corn borer,
transgene is Bt protein.

35. Bt BRINJAL
• In 2010, the Bt Brinjal was cleared but the decision was not
accepted by then environment minister.
• Created by inserting a crystal protein
gene (Cry1Ac) from the soil bacterium
Bacillus thuringiensis into the genome
of various brinjal cultivars.
• Bangladesh was the 1st country to approve the commercial
planting of Bt brinjal in late-2013, after being disallowed by
India.

36. BIOTECH MUSTARD
• Dhara Mustard Hybrid (DMH) -11
• This is the only second crop with Genetic Engineering
Appraisal Committee (GEAC) clearence, has recommended
for cultivation.
• The GM mustard, developed by a
Delhi University institution,
• This was developed by barnase-barstar method of genetic
engineering, cross-pollinating Indian mustards with high-
yielding European mustard varieties.
.

37. • The global area of biotech canola increased by
1% from 8.5 million hectares in 2015 to 8.6
million hectares in 2016.

38. Non-Browning Biotech Arctic® Apples
The non-browning apple varieties, Arctic®Golden,
Arctic®Granny and Arctic®Fuji apples,
• Developed by Okanagan Specialty Fruits Inc. (OSF), Canada
were approved in the US in 2015, and in 2016 in Canada.
• Some 70,000 trees were planted on ~81 hectares in 2016 and
harvests will be sold in the North American market in the
beginning of 2017.

39. HIGHLIGHTS
• Global value of the biotech seed market alone was US$15.8
billion in 2016.
• The number of GM events approved peaked in 2015 with only
a few event approvals in 2016.
• Biotech crops conserve biodiversity and saved 174 million
hectares of land

41. Advantages
• Improve nutritional quality
• Increased crop yield
• Insect resistance
• Disease resistance
• Herbicide resistance
• Salt tolerance
• Biopharmaceuticals
• Saving valuable topsoil.
• Ability to grow plants in harsh environments.

42. Disadvantages
• Damage to human health
• Allergies
• Horizontal transfer and antibiotic resistance
• Eating foreign DNA
• Changed nutrient level

43. CONCLUSION
• Genetically-modified foods have the potential to solve many
of the world’s hunger and malnutrition problem, and to help,
protect and preserve the environment by increasing yield and
reducing reliance upon chemical pesticides and herbicides.
• Yet there are many challenges ahead governments, especially
in the areas of safety testing , regulation, international policy
and food labeling.
• Many people feel that genetic engineering is the inevitable
wave of the future and that we cannot Afford to ignore a
technology that has such enormous potential benefits.
• However, we must proceed with caution to avoid causing
unintended harm to human health and the environment as a
result of our enthusiasm for this powerful technology

44. REFERENCES
• Clive James. 2016., Global Status of Commercialized
Biotech/GM Crops., International Service for the Acquisition
of Agri-biotech Applications. No. 52.
• Arun Kumar Singh and M.N. Lal., 2011. International Journal
of Plant Protection, Transgenic crops for insect-pests
management., Vol. 4 No. 2.
• http://iasscore.in/national-issues/-gm-mustard-issue
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bt_brinjal
• https://www.sciencedaily.com/terms/transgenic_plants.htm