Previous Year Question
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 hybridisation.
GM mustard has been developed jointly by the IARI and Punjab Agricultural University.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
1 and 3
2 only
2 and 3
1, 2 and 3
Correct Answer: B
Detailed Solution
The major variety of GM mustard developed in India is named Dhara Mustard Hybrid-11, or DMH-11.
Mustard is generally a self-pollinating plant, so the production of commercial hybrid seeds in it is difficult.
The barnase-barstar system has been used in DMH-11 to enable hybrid seed production.
The barnase gene produces male sterility and prevents the plant from producing functional pollen.
The male-sterile plant can be pollinated with pollen from another selected parent plant.
The barstar gene neutralises the action of barnase and restores fertility in the hybrid progeny.
Thus, these genes enable the production of hybrid seeds through cross-pollination and hybridisation.
Therefore, Statement 2 is correct.
The genes used in it do not provide the plant with broad pest resistance against many types of insects or pests.
This characteristic is different from the pest resistance found in Bt crops.
In DMH-11, the ‘bar’ gene has been used for tolerance to the herbicide glufosinate and as a selectable marker.
Therefore, Statement 1 is incorrect.
DMH-11 was developed at the Centre for Genetic Manipulation of Crop Plants of the University of Delhi.
It was not jointly developed by IARI and Punjab Agricultural University.