Here is Question No. 63 a part of our series on UPSC Prelims 2018
Q63. With reference to the Genetically Modified mustard (GM mustard) developed in India, consider the following statements:
GM mustard has the genes of a soil bacterium that give the plant the property of pest- resistance to a wide variety of pests.
GM mustard has the genes that allow the plant cross-pollination and hybridization.
GM mustard has been developed jointly by the IARI and Punjab Agricultural University.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) 1 and 3 only (b) 2 only (c) 2 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: B
Statement 1 is not correct: DMH-11 is a Genetically Modified (GM) mustard, and it is also an herbicide-tolerant mustard. DMH -11 contains three genes viz. Bar gene, Barnase and Barstar sourced from soil bacterium. The genes of a soil bacterium do not give the plant the property of pest- resistance to a wide variety of pests.
Statement 2 is correct: It has mainly two genes (‘barnase’ and ‘bar star’) that allow for cross-pollination and hybridisation in mustard, which is largely a self-pollinating plant because of its individual flowers containing both female and male reproductive organs.
Statement 3 is not correct: GM Mustard has been developed by a team of scientists at Delhi University (not IARI and Punjab University) led by former vice-chancellor Deepak Pental with the aim of reducing India’s demand for edible oil imports. They developed Dhara Mustard Hybrid (DMH) -11, a genetically modified hybrid variety of the mustard species (Brassica juncea).
