Genetically Modified Crops (GM)&

Food Security

By:- Rajdeep Singh Sidhu

- Gaurav Ghai

What is GM crops/ food? According to ‘World Health Organisation’ “Genetically modified (GM) foods are foods derived from organisms whose genetic

material (DNA) has been modified in a way at does not occur naturally, i.e. through the introduction of a gene from a different organism.

GM Crops are described by many different names – •Genetically Engineered crops(GE)•Transgenic or Biotech crops •Genetically Modified Organism(GMO)

BT GeneBT Gene inserted into DNA of the crop

Genetically Modified Plant

Injected

Genetically modified crops

Insect Resistance

Herbicide Tolerance

Drought resistance

Yield increase

Nutrient Enhancement

Virus Tolerance

Advantages of GM Crops

Insect Resistance (IR) Insect pests have become an integral part of agricultural crops worldwide and

significantly reduce yield of the plants. So IR trait is inserted into crops. IR trait is helpful in following ways•Reduction in Insecticide spraying•Targeting of the insecticide solely to the plant to be protected .

GM plant

Killed European Corn Borer

Toxin is Present

European Corn Borer(Insect)

Herbicide ToleranceOver 63% of Gm crops grown globally have herbicide tolerance traits. Herbicide tolerance is achieved through the introduction of a gene from a bacteriumconveying resistance to some herbicides. In situations where weed pressure is high, theuse of such crops has resulted in a reduction in the quantity of the herbicides used.

GM cropGM Crop(Unaffected)

Weed KilledWeed

Herbicide Spray

Result OfHerbicide Spray

Virus ResistanceVirus resistance makes plants less susceptible to diseases caused by such viruses,

resulting in higher crop yields.

For Example- Hawaiian Papaya- Hawaiian papaya is made resistant to the

devastating effects of Papaya Ring Spot Virus (PRSV).

Hawaiian Papaya Papaya Ring Spot Virus

Disadvantages of GM cropsAllergenicityGene transferOutcrossingSuper Weeds

AllergenicityIn India, hundreds of laborers picking cotton and working in cotton ginning factories developed allergic reactions when handling the BT cotton. This didn’t happen with the non-Bt varieties. [Ashish Gupta et. al., “Impact of Bt Cotton on Farmers’ Health (in Barwani and Dhar District of Madhya Pradesh),” Investigation Report, Oct–Dec 2005]Hospital records: “ Show that victims of itching have increased massively this year, and all of them are related to BT cotton farming.” [The Sunday Indian, 10/26/08]

Itching all over the body, eruptions, wounds, discoloration

Out-crossingThe movement of genes from GM plants into conventional crops or related species in

the wild (referred to as “out crossing”), as well as the mixing of crops derived from

conventional seeds with those grown using GM crops, may have an indirect effect on

food safety and food security.

pollens

Direction of wind

GM Crops Conventional crops

Super Weeds :A wild plant that has been accidentally pollinated by a genetically-modified plant and now contains that plant's abilities to resist herbicides and insects.Glyphosate is the chemical name for an herbicide. Certain invasive grasses and weeds have proven themselves to be resistant to glyphosate, meaning that the herbicide is no longer effective against these plants.Examples of weeds resistant to Glyphosate• Common Ragweed• Italian Ryegrass

Super Weeds

pollens

WeedGM Crop

Cross Pollination of GM crop With Weeds

Super Weed

Herbicide Spray

GM Crop Super Weed

No Effect of Herbicide Spray

GM Crop

FOOD SECURITY

Food Security Definition: According to United State Department of Agriculture (USDA)

‘Food security for a household means access by all members at all times to enough

food for an active, healthy life. Food security includes at a minimum :

(1) the ready availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods.

(2) an assured ability to acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways (that is,

without resorting to emergency food supplies, scavenging, stealing, or other coping

strategies).

Food Security

Human

Food Availability

Food Access

Utilization

Stability

Food Availability Availability of sufficient Quantity of Food.

Quality should be appropriate.

Food AccessHaving sufficient resources to:-• Obtain appropriate foods for a nutritious diet.

Money

RESOURCES

Stability• In case of :

SHOULD HAVE FOOD RESERVE

Earthquakes

Floods

Drought

Utilization• Utilization of food through Proper :

Clean Water Hand Wash

Flushing

Washing Utensils

Proper Sanitation

Why we need food security? To cope with situations like:

DroughtFloods

No market to sell the Goods

Food Crisis in the World during period 1986-2005

• Africa has > 15 years of food crisis and worst in the world where the average number of crises has tripled over the last two decades.

Food Emergencies in Years

How Genetically Modified Crop

HelpTo Tackle

Food Security

Yield Increase

Conventional Seeds

Genetically Modified Seeds

Low yield

High yield

Drought Resistant

Genetically Modified Crops requires less

water for their growth , hence are capable to

sustain in drought conditions.

Useful in areas which receive less rainfall.

Nutrient Enhancement White rice is a staple food in most countries.

It provides 80% daily calories.

Concern Arises White rice doesn’t contain beta-carotene which human body converts it to

Vitamin A.

WHO says 5 Lakh people get blind due to vitamin A deficiency every year .

To tackle this beta-carotene is added to white rice to make “Golden Rice”.

Adding Nutritive Value

Gene added from:-1. Maize or Daffodil Plant2. Common soil bacteria (Erwinia)

Lycopene

Beta-carotene

Yellow-Orange rice grainOr

Golden rice

White Rice

Golden Rice is rich in Vitamin A

Food shell life Increase

TransportationBy variousmeans

Storage

• Spoiling of vegetable decreases.• The first genetically modified crop

approved for sale in the U.S. was the Falvrsvr tomato.

Ware-House

Conclusion GMO’s present both positive and negative aspects to society as a whole.

They are a topic of much deliberation and tension; very prevalent in some parts of

the world and banned in others.

GE crops are required for meeting Food Security in today’s growing population.

Ultimately, GMO’s are still a relatively premature technology and in the

developmental process. Only time will reveal their ultimate effect on humans.