What are the reasons for the people’s resistance to the introduction of BT brinjal in India?

1. Bt brinjal has been created by inserting a gene from a soil fungus into its genome.
2. The seeds of Bt brinjal are terminator seeds and therefore, the farmers have to buy the seeds before every season from the seed companies.
3. There is an apprehension that the consumption of Bt brinjal may have adverse impact on health.
4. There is some concern that the introduction of BT brinjal may have adverse effect on the biodiversity.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

1. 1, 2 and 3 only
2. 2 and 3 only
3. 3 and 4 only
4. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect

• Brinjal is the second most consumed vegetable in India after potatoes. Bt brinjal is made by adding a gene from the soil bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). This makes the brinjal resistant to the Brinjal Fruit and Shoot Borer (FSB)

Statement 2 is incorrect

• Bt brinjal seeds are not terminator seeds. Terminator technology is the genetic modification of plants to make them produce sterile seeds. They are also known as suicide seeds. Terminator’s official name – used by the UN and scientists – is Genetic Use Restriction Technologies (GURTs). It involves genetically modifying seeds to produce sterile seeds, preventing their reuse by farmers. This forces farmers to purchase new seeds each season, protecting seed companies’ intellectual property.

Statement 3 is correct

• Civil society groups have raised concerns about the possible allergenic and toxic effects on human health.

Statement 4 is correct

• Genetically engineered Bt brinjal does have implications for plant biodiversity and ecological system.

Answer: (c) 3 and 4 only; Difficulty Level: Hard