GENETC MODIFIED CROPS:SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONTMENTAL PERSPECTIVE

D (Genetic modification) Genetic engineering, also called E modification, is the human manipulation of an F genetic organism's genetic .code to ,create I N An organism whose genetic characteristics have been altered by the A insertion of a modified gene or a gene from another organism using the techniques of genetic engineering. T I O N It involves combining the specific genes important genetic traits from different organisms is called as recombinant DNA technology, so the resulting formed organism is known as being "genetically modified," "genetically engineered," or "transgenic." GM products include medicines and , foods, fibres ,vaccines, food ingredients, feeds, and fibers. History of genetic modifiacton though the formal modern scientific methods were practiced in late 80s-and 90s but the concept of selective organisms for higher procuctivity dates back to 15 th centuary

Prehistoric times 1900 Gatherers finding food from the plants they have found in nature, and farmers were planting seeds being saved from the domestication of crops. Foods were altered by usage of yeast fermentation. Few naturalists and farmers began recognizing "hybrids," plants produced by h natural breeding between the related varieties of the plants. 1900 European researches bean using famous Gregor Mendel's genetic theory of manipulation and improvement of plant species. This is beig known as the "classic selection." A given plant of one or other

variety is crossed and then with a related plant to produce desired characteristics. Modern genetic engineering 1953 James Watson and Francis Crick publishes their discovery f the 3 D double helix structure of DNA. This discovery in fulture will eventually be leading to the ability of the scientists in identify and "splice" genes from one kind of organism and plant into the DNA of anothers. 1973 Herbert Boyer and Stanley Cohen in this year combined their research and create the first successful recombinant DNA organism. 1980 The. Supreme Court of united states Diamond v. Chakrabarty rules that the genetically altered life forms can be patented. This decision leads the Exxon Oil Company patenting an oil-eating microorganism. 1982 In the U.S. Food and Drug Administration gives approval to the first genetically engineered drug, Genentech's Humulin, a type of human insulin produced by bacteria. This is the first consumer product developed through modern bioengineering. 1986 in Belgium The first ever field tests in genetically engineered plants tobacco is conducted. 1987 in the United States The first field tests in genetically engineered crops (tobacco and tomato) are conducted.

The tomato - developed by the John Innes Centre in Norwich - contains high concentrations of anthocyanins, pigments found in blackberries and cranberries Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1080695/Purplesuper-tomato-fight-cancer.html#ixzz1oLKTPhox

1992 Calgene's Favr Savr tomato, tailoured for remaining firm for the longer periods of time, is being approved for thre commercial production by the US Department of Agriculture. 1992 The FDA declared that having genetically engineered foods is "not inherently dangerous" and thus do not require any special regulations. 1994 Tobacco, becomes Europes first genetically engineered crops is being approved in France.

.
The GM tomato crop was created to be resistant to the usual rotting and decay of a typical, conventional tomato that is not genetically modified

United States , company Calgene, was the company which was being allowed to producing the tomatoes commercially in around 1990s without warnings any or some form of distinct label for indicating the differences from the conventional natural tomatoes. In these time a lot more ,was spent for the tomatoes around 2 to 5 times extra from prices compared to conventional and natural tomatoes. taken as a whole, still consumers were in support of the products so it was purchased.

Controversy In responses, the purchasers in European continent were being plausible distress and shortly subsequently, various food companies all inveterate their assurance in avoiding the genetically modified foods. frequent other punter fitness scares disparate in GM foods stirring in the next decade, consumers suspicious of GM products strengthen. Protestors now started rallying in opposition to mncs such as the Monsanto, hence severely averse the growig of Genetically Modified food.

How modification works

A cell which has the specific genes to be extracted is conked out open and extraction of strands of DNA is done . followed by the proteins known as the restriction enzymes now are being added contravention the DNA helixes at scrupulous points , now the shorter lengths that are known as the individual genes are being obtained.

The required genes are now being inserted inside the plasmids which are nothing but minute molecules inside cells of bacteria that consequently contain DNA which are not the parts of a chromosome of cells. discovering that movement of plasmids amid cells, carrying their DNA inside them , created a realistic technology. Now, containing plasmids where the wanted gene is present is position inside the cells (usually bacteria) in which the sought after gene goes . The plasmids start adding their genetic material in the genetic code in the bacterum. meaning that bacteriums not only poessses the sought after gene over and above their own. This selected bacterias are now used in relocating the new genetc code hooked on plant or animal cells. Thus this course of action of the gene splicing leads to creation of the recombinant DNA.

These abilities in separation out off solo genes and now studying these creates vital branch of biological and medical research. an additional line of attack in creation of genetically modified products by means of the bacterias acting as factories for for introduction of genes, generating products as enzymes employed in the production of food (eg, chymosin in cheese preparation) and vitamins for this reason used in making arificial foods, or hormones for making use of in medicine and animal husbandry.

GENETIC MODIFIED AND SOCIETY POSITIVE IMPACTS A SOLUTION TO MALNUTRITION AND NUTRIRNT DEFICIENCY The year is 2009 and the global population has exceeded 6.7 billion people (and rising). Environmental degradation is occurring, along with climate change, biodiversity loss, disease, famine, and malnutrition. A pressing question is how can we feed 6.7 billion people nutritiously and affordably while protecting and preserving the environment?

Gone years on research, scientists in agriculture are on the edge of creating new strains of rices which are hyped a lot in media. This Golden Rice , is modified genetically (GM) strain ,proviso certified to grow on the commercial scales totally eliminates Vitamin A deficiency in global scale

IN INDIA nationwide universities in agricultural research formally claim completing trials in animals using this new gmo. In view of Dr PG Chengappa the chancellor of Agricultural Sciences University of the primary stage in trails of animals shows up a very high conformity factor. Golden Rice allows people a benefit, attaching in preferrential recipes-as of taste or as a matter of pocket, save for distinction that they will at the same time be capable to swathe a number of of their most vital dietary needs
SOURCE: TELEGRAPH

SS

Dining out? Try cottonseeds

Subhra Priyadarshini Cottonseed could soon become a source of protein-rich food for billions in the developing world, thanks to the work of an India-born scientist in the US. Subhra Priyadarshini reports

. If cottonseeds become edible, it is estimated that the protein needs(cotton seeds contain 22 per cent high-quality protein) of over 500 million people will be met.

GM POTATO : A SOLUTION TO PROTEIN DEFICIENCY A gene known AmA1 was inserted in run of the mill potatoes providing a third more protein than standard, including sizeable quantity of the vital amino acids methionine and lysine

playing a significant element government of india 15 year health improvement plan to provide vaccines , better food and clean water. ALTERNATE TRUTH On the brink of public debate of gm in June ,in Britain, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) supposed an authorization in favour of mercantile growing of potato genetically modified in India is expected in a perod of six months. scientists in india are in record to pronounce protein-rich genetically modified potato are able to fight starvation in India On the other side of coin, gm POTATOES LACK SEVERLY IN IRON AND CALCIUM . SO THE QUESTION IS WITHOUT ESSENTIAL MICRONUTRIENT WILL IT NOT INCREASE ANAEMIA AND OSTOPORISS IN A COUNTRY FULL OF SUCH CASES

But we must not forget

plants naturally manufacture thousands of chemicals enhancing health of humans and protection against diseases. these chemicals

Conversely alters plant proteins, increasing plant toxins reducing its phytonutrients. isoflavones , cancer fighting, is produced less by GM soybeans. By and large, studies have shown genetic modification leads to unintentional alteration, in nutrients, creating, toxins, allergens and small molecule metabolism products.

ALLERGIES http://www.raw-wisdom.com/50harmful.

losses in biodiversity in the supply of food grows correspondingly with the augment in food allergies. Explaining it some scientists feel. The human body is not a machine-like "something" that can be fed assembly line, carbon copy foods. We eat for nourishment and vitality. What is alive interacts or changes with its environment. Unnatural sameness required for patenting of genetic foods - are "dead" qualities. Frequently, foods we eat and crave are precisely those testing positive for food allergies.

Allergic reactions are misguided defense reactions aganist incoming parasites and in GM food cases, the body senses an unnatural invasion. Cells in our body recognize this lack of vitality, producing antibodies and white cells in response. This is analogous to our brain's cells recognizing and rejecting mechanically repeated thoughts - or thinking "like a broken record." Intuitively our body cells and the overall immune system seems to reject excess homogeneity. Papaya and Corn and other GM proteins in crops reminiscent may also be allergic . The same dilemma exist for erstwhile crops such as Bt corn, and the substantiation shows allergic reactions skyrockets subsequent to introduction of GM crops

CASE STUDTY

What happened in the Brazil nut incident? Animal feed made from Soya or corn is routinely supplemented by sulphur-containing amino acids, because most plant proteins are low in these constituents. The value of soybeans as cattle feed could be improved if they were modified to have a higher level of sulphur-containing amino acids. Since one of the storage proteins of Brazil nuts is known to be rich in this material, the corresponding gene was transferred into Soya. The experiments were technically successful, but further laboratory studies showed that thisparticular Brazil nut protein was allergenic to human

Source: http://www.efbcentral.org/images/uploads/allergiesGMfoods.pdf

Medicine : Genetic modified crops can substitute for low-priced and

inexpensive supply of medicines. In accordance with estimates of World Health Organization that infants around 23+ million universally do not get hold of basic immunisation and children around 1.7 million below five die from vaccine preventable diseases Pharma planta a venture which is launched about seven years before aiming usage of GM plants in slashing the prices of drugs which are tough to manufacture. The scientists' thus aim increasing the accessibility of these recent medicines which are often out of reach in the poorest countries of the world. Anti hiv dugs In greenhouses Pharma-Planta , in germany, created the anti-HIV monoclonal antibodies in the GM tobacco plants grown in the soil . 45 days, after, they were harvested, their leaves were shredded and "highly purified antibodies" were extracted. UK licensing body , approved the human trial ,of Healthcare products and Medicines and Regulatory Agency (MHRA), and is taking place in Guildford at the clinical research centre of the University of Surrey. If successful they can provide medicines at third of actual cost

Diabetes
the U.S. scientists are up with arms to develop genetically modified tobacco plants with insulin grown in it that could be used to prevent diabetes even before symptoms appear! It will also be able to treat the disease in its later stages. But, its an excellent idea though, as tobacco is consumed by a person at a regular basis when get narcotic to it thus, it can easily counter the diabetes much before its emergence without much effort

Five-week-old diabetic mice are then administered with the freezedried plant cells as a powder for eight weeks. To add to the excitement of the scientists, the plant cell-fed diabetic mice were found to have normal blood and urine sugar levels

Tobacco plants

anti cancer A team from the John Innes Centre, Norwich, have created purple tomatoes by crossing genes with a snapdragon flower. The resulting fruit is rich in an antioxidant pigment called anthocyanin which is thought to have anticancer properties. Mice with cancer, which were fed on the fruit, lived much longer than normal mice

the purple tomatoes .

Hard fact Studies by the biotech giant Monsanto have shown that a kilogram of GM maize seed contained just 0.5-1.5g of the antibody it was trying to manufacture. But this is in raw form. More is lost during extraction and purification. Monsanto, which was aiming to produce 500kg of antibodies each year, calculated that it might take more than 200 hectares
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2004/jul/15/thisweekssciencequestions.gmcrops

ALTERNATE SIDE OF HEALTH http://el.doccentre.info/eldoc1/KICS/potent-health-hazards-GE-foods.html Rats fed Monsanto 863 Bt corn for 90 days developed multiple reactions typically found in response to allergies, infections, toxins, diseases like cancer, anemia and blood pressure problems. Their blood cells, livers and kidneys showed significant changes indicative of disease. Mice fed either GM potatoes engineered to produce Bt- toxin or natural potatoes containing the toxin had intestinal damage. Both varieties created abnormal and excessive cell growth in the lower intestine. The equivalent human damage might cause incontinence or flu-like symptoms and could be pre-cancerous Workers in India handling Bt cotton while picking, loading, weighing and separating the fiber from seeds developed allergies. They began with 'mild to severe itching,' then redness and swelling, followed by skin eruptions. These symptoms affected their skin, eyes (got red and swollen with excessive tearing) and upper respiratory tract causing nasal discharge and sneezing. In some cases, hospitalization was required. At one cotton gin factory, workers take antihistamines daily

Blood tests conducted on 39 victims showed an antibody response to Bttoxin suggesting it was the cause. Four other villages experienced the same problems that also resulted in several animal deaths. German farmer Gottfried Glockner grew GM corn and fed it to his cows. Twelve subsequently died from the Bt 176 variety, and other cows had to be destroyed due to a 'mysterious' illness. Milk, for example, from cows injected with Monsanto's bovine growth hormone (rbGH), has much higher levels of the hormone IGF-1 that risks breast, prostate, colon, lung and other cancers.

THREAT OF CORPORATE COLONISATION Throughout the history of agriculture across the globe, farming has always been a diversified sector of the economy. Small, self-sustaining, family farms were the order of the day in most cultures. Even as small farms grew larger and more specialized over time, many of them still saved seeds or purchased them from other farmers, which kept control of farming in the hands of the people But the gm plants are prepared in a manner such that seed storage becomes impossible. Monsanto acquired more than 50 seed companies just during the time represented by his study period, which spans the years between 1996 and 2008.thus it ensures a continual profit for these companies. Monsanto jailed farmers for trying to store seeds.

Also agritech companies such as Monsanto, Pioneer and Syngenta go further. For a decade their user agreements have explicitly forbidden the use of the seeds for any independent research. Under the threat of litigation, scientists cannot test a seed to explore the different conditions under which it thrives or fails. They cannot compare seeds from one company against those from another company. And perhaps most important, they cannot examine whether the genetically modified crops lead to unintended environmental side effects. http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=do-seed-companiescontrol-gm-crop-research

ECOLOGICAL IMPACTS Photo remediation

Gm crops against mercury pollution Due to heavy industrialization mercury is used in paper, chemical and mining industries leading to huge accumulation. Plants such as poplar are modified using mer A and mer B genes present in bacteria present in these soils(resistant to mercury) this leads creation of poplar capable of storing mercury reducing its concentration Cadium pollution Plants contains compounds called photo chelatin which have capacity to bind with Cd. It has been shown increasing these compounds through genetic engineering helps in storage of Cd.

is a genetically modified pcb degrading bacteria.

Less use of insecticides and pesticides Gm crops such bt cotton offer resistance against the sap sucking pests such as
jassids, whitefly etc . they contain genes from Bacillus thuringiensis which give it a resistance against these pests . so farmers dont need to use pesticides.

It is estimated on global level bt broducts in 2000 has reduced pesticide us by 22 million kg. Do the above statistics hold good in ground? THE ISSUE OF BIOLOGICAL ADAPTIONS Genetic modified crops and fields provide high uniform conditions for the growth of diseases and pest spreading. It Is observed due to short life cycle of pests biological resistance develops fast .

evidence of Bt-resistant western rootworm in the wild has been reported by a team of scientists in Iowa State University 22 per cent of the farmers reported seeing any new

pests in cotton. Interestingly, among the new pests that the farmers had seen in the current season that they had not seen five years before, mealy bug figures prominently (77% of the farmers) by the approved, unapproved and desi Bt RESISTANCE IN INDIA cultivators.
American seed firm Monsanto disclosed that cotton pest--pink bollworm--has developed resistance to its much-touted Bt cotton variety in Gujarat. The company has reported to the regulator, the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC), that pink bollworm has developed resistance to its genetically modified (GM) cotton variety, Bollgard I, in Amreli, Bhavnagar, Junagarh and Rajkot districts in Gujarat. This was detected by the company during field monitoring in the 2009 cotton season Resistance is natural and expected," Monsanto said in a statementproductivity of cotton has fallen from 560 kg lint per hectare in 2007 to 512 kg lint per hectare in 2009. And pesticide expenditure has gone up from from Rs.597 crore in 2002 to Rs.791 crore in 2009.
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/industry-and-economy/agribiz/article2611554.ece?ref=wl_economy_art

source: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/ Bt+cotton+has+failed+admits+M onsanto/1/86939.html

THE INFAMOUS MEALY BUG -

Bt-engineered corn is among the first major commercial successes for agricultural biotechnology. more than 7 million acres of the hybrid crop were planted by U.S. farmers primarily to control the European corn borer. Before the advent of Bt-corn, this pest was extremely difficult to control because it bores into the stalk, where it is protected from pesticides losses averaged $1.2 billion. In contrast,Bt-corn provides essentially total season-long control at a reasonable cost without the use of pesticides

Hartej Singh, an organic farmer associated with the Kheti Virasat Mission, grew cotton His cotton crop consisted of F-1378, an early-maturing American variety, and LD 327, a high-yielding desi (indigenous) variety resistant to Fusarium wilt. His yields were slightly lower than those of the Bt cotton in neighbouring fields. But while the neighbouring fields were heavily infested by the mealy bug, Singh's cotton crop was completely unaffected.

A year later, scientists at the Central Institute for Cotton Research (CICR) in Nagpur, India,confirmed exotic origin of the specie.
Source: http://www.i-sis.org.uk/mealybugPlaguesBtCotton.php

Bt-modified corn produces

ROOT OF THE PROBLEM

Pollen from bt maize containing crystalline endotoxin from the bacterium genes. When this corn pollen is dispersed by the wind, it lands on other plants, including milkweed, the exclusive food of monarch caterpillars and commonly found around cornfieldsLike all grasses, corn is windpollinated, and the pollen can be blown more than 60 yards from the edge of cornfields. In the laboratory tests, monarchs fed milkweed leaves dusted with so-called transformed pollen from a Bt-corn hybrid ate less, grew more slowly and suffered a higher mortality rate, the researchers report. Nearly half of these larvae died, while all of the monarch caterpillars fed leaves dusted with nontransformed corn pollen or fed leaves without corn pollen survived the studyWhen the toxin binds, the gut wall changes from a protective layer to an open sieve so that pathogens usually kept within the gut and excreted are released into the insect's body. As a result, the caterpillar quickly sickens and dies

Impact on other species:

Crops such as bt cotton , maize have injected poison from bacillus bacteria . although they are safe for mammals but they have negative impacts on other organisms such as wasps , bees and moths which are useful for the environment

Economic growth vs Threat to monarch butterfly

Monarch caterpillars on a milkweed leaf dusted with pollen

Issue of Vertical and horizontal gene flow:

Vertical gene transfer This refers to the spread of genetic material through normal sexual reproduction to the same species or related species. It is possible the modified genes in a GM crop could spread via pollen to a related native species. Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) This refers to the movement of small fragments of DNA from one organism to another without sexual reproduction. Scientists know that, under some circumstances, the DNA from GMOs can be transferred into bacteria.

SOURCE: adl.brs.gov.au/brsShop/data/12860_gene_flow_report.pdf

A BRITISH LESSON

Environmentalists raised an outcry when the British Centre for Ecology and Hydrology announced the discovery of what has been termed a "superweed" in July of 2005. The single wild mustard plant achieved superweed status in the minds of some when it proved resistant to a powerful weed killer. Scientists discovered the plant in a field that had been used in trials of geneticallymodified (GM) oilseed rape, a group of plants which includes those used to produce canola oil. Environmental groups warn that this discovery augurs serious agricultural and environmental repercussions if genetically-modified oilseed rape were to be grown commercially in the UK.

Superweeds
The modified genes in a GM crop could spread via pollen to a related native species. A herbicide-resistant GM plant might be able to pass on that characteristic to its weedy relatives, creating weeds that cannot be controlled by that herbicide

The cross-fertilisation between GM oilseed rape, a brassica, and a distantly related plant, charlock, had been discounted as virtually impossible by scientists with the environment department But the new form of charlock was growing among many others in a field which had been used to grow GM rape. When scientists treated it with lethal herbicide it showed no illeffect

SOURCE: http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2 005/jul/25/gm.food

SOURCE:

http://evolution.berkele y.edu/evolibrary/news/ 051015_superweed

LOSS OF CROP BIO- DIVERSITY: GM crops envision monocultures of genetic modified crops on large scale. This leads to growth of single genetic imprint . This leads to extinction of some varieties and ultimate removal from ecosystem.

ECONONMICS GM CROPS PROMISE A NEW ERA OF REDUCED COSTS OF AGRO PRODUCE BY REDUCING THE PRICES OF SUPLEMENTS REQUIRED IN AGRICULTURE LIKE PESTICIDES AND INSECTICIDES . THEY ALSO CLAIM OF INCREASING THE YIELDS. BUT THE SEEDS ARE CHARGED HIGH AS FORM OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

BUT

The three graphs put some life in bt scenario in india. The yellow graph shows conventional crops where as the green shows gm cotton From graph A we see bt cotton seeds are price 3 times as high at Rs 3684 vs Rs 1163 Graph c shows the cost pesticides for bt cotton remains as high as Rs 1404 vs Rs 1565 for normal seeds In 2003 this trend reverses and amount spent on bt cotton exceeds than conventional seeds This can be explained as follows

IN 2007

However graph b destroys the claim of Monsanto of reduced costs . as seen the reduction in costs from pesticide use is completely offset by the increase in price of seeds and as result cost of bt produce becomes more expensive than conventional seeds Rs 5451 vs 5337

The following table shows the plight of AP farmers and reasons for sucide

CONSEQUENTLTY THERE IS A SURGE IN FARMER SUCIDES

FARM SUCIDES IN AP INCREASED WITH INCREASEIN BT AREA