For weed-hit farms, science is surest antidote, Pg10

Key Highlights:

• Orobanche aegyptiaca, a root parasitic weed, poses a significant threat to mustard crops in Rajasthan and Haryana.
• Herbicide-tolerant crop varieties developed by the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Savannah Seeds, and Mahyco offer a potential solution.
• The government has permitted commercial cultivation of non-GM herbicide-tolerant and gene-edited crops.
• Delhi University scientists have developed GM mustard lines with tolerance to multiple herbicides.

Detailed Insights:

• Orobanche aegyptiaca damages crops by competing for resources, becoming visible only after causing significant harm.
• Climate change and the emergence of new agricultural threats underscore the need for robust agricultural R&D.
• Herbicide tolerance is achieved through mutation breeding, where crops can withstand herbicides that kill surrounding weeds.
• GM technology, like that used in Delhi University's mustard lines, could offer broader herbicide resistance management.
• Allowing field trials of GM crops is crucial to assess their efficacy and biosafety for agricultural use.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Herbicide Tolerance: The ability of a crop to survive exposure to herbicides that would normally kill it.
• Mutation Breeding: A process of exposing seeds to chemicals or radiation to induce genetic mutations and create new varieties.
• Genetic Modification (GM): Altering the genetic material of an organism to introduce new traits or characteristics.