Farmers must reap fruits of genetic engineering, Pg14

Key Highlights:

• India is considering the release of two genome-edited (GE) rice lines, improved mutants of Samba Mahsuri and MTU-1010, to enhance grain yields and stress tolerance.
• ICAR scientists have developed a new Transposon-associated protein (TnpB)-based GE tool as an alternative to CRISPR-Cas9 and Cas12a systems.
• Field trials are underway for a low-pungent canola-quality mustard variety, developed through CRISPR-Cas GE technology, that is pest- and disease-resistant.
• India faces the challenge of feeding a projected 1.7 billion population by 2060 with limited resources, necessitating improved breeding technologies.

Detailed Insights:

• India missed the Genetic Modification (GM) revolution, except in cotton, due to opposition against new technologies after Bollgard-II Bt in 2006.
• The CRISPR-Cas technology is used to "edit" genes in rice varieties, enhancing their tolerance to drought and salinity stress, and boosting grain yields.
• Activists' concerns about surrendering Indian farmers' interests to global agritech monopolies are addressed by the indigenous TnpB-based GE tool.
• Blocking the commercial release of GM hybrid mustard by Indian scientists demoralized the country’s agricultural science community.
• India imports nearly $20 billion worth of vegetable oils annually and has shifted from a net exporter to an importer of cotton.
• Improved breeding, including conventional methods, GM, and GE, is crucial to meet the food demands of India's growing population amidst climate uncertainty.

Scientific/Technical Concepts Involved:

• Genetic Modification (GM): Altering an organism's genetic material using biotechnology.
• Genome Editing (GE): Precisely modifying specific DNA sequences within an organism's genome.
• CRISPR-Cas: A gene-editing technology that uses a guide RNA to target and modify specific DNA sequences.
• Transposon-associated protein (TnpB): A novel GE tool developed by ICAR scientists as an alternative to CRISPR-Cas systems.