Here is Question No. 17 a part of our series on UPSC Prelims 2021.
Q17. Bollgard I and Bollgard II technologies are mentioned in the context of
a) clonal propagation of crop plants b) developing genetically modified crop plants c) production of plant growth substances d) production of biofertilizers
Answer: (b)
Genetically engineered crop plants are developed with the assistance of Bollgard1 and Bollgard2. Bollgard Cotton has built-in defenses against devastating Bollworm infestations and contains an insecticidal protein from a Bacillus thuringiensis, a naturally occurring soil microbe (Bt).
The first biotech crop technology approved for commercialization in India in 2002 is Bollgard Bt cotton (single-gene technology). The enhanced double-gene Cry1Ac and Cry2Ab technology found in Bollgard II technology offers defense against bollworms and Spodoptera caterpillars.
