Question
Question: What are some biosafety issues concerned with genetically modified crops?...
What are some biosafety issues concerned with genetically modified crops?
Solution
As we know that GMO or genetically modified crops are crops which are artificially made. The DNA of the crops or plants which are modified by using genetic engineering methods or techniques. Plant genomes can be engineered by physical methods or by use of Agrobacterium for the results of sequences hosted by T-DNA vectors.
Complete answer:
Generally, why would someone produce or farmers nowadays produce modified crops because this is done to protect crops from pests, insects and other diseases which can affect plants resulting in reduced productivity. Also, another major factor seen in crops are their high yielding content, crops tend to produce more and better qualities of content when they are introduced into genetic techniques.
There are many dis-benefits reported in having and consuming these modified crops. Some of the wide sorts of modified crops are paddy, tomato, sorghum, cotton, corn, papaya, brinjal etc.
The aim is to introduce the new traits into the crops as simple as the natural species of crops are not desired. Crops have more management problems that require more handling. They are a reduction to spoilage, can withstand adverse environment conditions, resistance to chemical treatments like a certain herbicide or they have a high nutrient profile.
Lately, farmers have widely adopted GM technology. Suppose we take the example of BT brinjal- The genetically modified BT brinjal (BT means bacillus thuringiensis) in India has been developed mainly for insect or pest resistance. By genetic engineering BT toxin genes were isolated from Bacillus thuringiensis and incorporated or inserted into several crop plants.
The eggplant or transgenic brinjals have been created by inserting a crystal protein gene (CryA1C) from the bacterium bacillus thuringiensis into the genes of brinjal cultivars.
Exploitation is done by taking away the healthy plant solution made in the laboratory and replacing it with ordinary. The formula and credits are also being stolen if not being patented. Patronizing the crops is very important.
Note:
The Effectiveness of the crop against pests is quite satisfactory. The larvae of the insect feed on the BT brinjal plant, they ingest the BT protein CryA1C along the plant tissue. In the insect gut which alkaline in nature is solubilized and activated by the gut proteases. The protein binds to specific receptor proteins present in the insect membrane which make pores in the gut resulting in disruption of digestive paralysis and death occurs of the larvae.