Bt brinjal, the genetically-modified variety of the king of vegetables, is safe for human consumption and contains the same nutritional values as the traditional variety, according to Mumbai-based Maharashtra Hybrid Seeds Company (Mahyco), which introduced BT cotton in India way back in 2002.
Bt brinjal has been subjected to 25 safety tests, including environmental and food safety studies prescribed by the Indian regulatory bodies since 2002, the company said on Tuesday.
“Biotech crops are among the most tested and regulated food commodities in the world and the same is true with BT brinjal,” Mahyco general manager M K Sharma told Business Standard.
The company is awaiting green signal from the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) to commercially introduce Bt brinjal in India, despite opposition from green and consumer activists about possible harmful effects on humans as well as on the environment.
“Bt brinjal has been tested on animals, which included chronic tests, under which the animal is subjected to high doses of substance being tested for 90 days to ascertain the effects,” he added.
Sharma maintained that the tests revealed that Bt brinjal has no effect on non-target organisms and does not cause any injury or ill effect to other plants, animals or humans.
Bt gene (Cry1Ac), the same gene used in BT cotton, has been inserted in the Indian brinjal variety to produce BT brinjal, which gives it protection against insects such as fruit and shoot borer.
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“FSB causes extensive damage to brinjal and farmers need to spray 25-80 rounds of pesticides to protect the plant against the pest. The economic loss to farmers due to FSB is estimated over Rs 1,000 crore annually,” Mahyco biotechnology research head Bharat R Char said.
Farmers will need 70 per cent less pesticide with Bt brinjal for FSB, which will reduce overall pesticide use by 42 per cent, he said adding “Our studies have shown that this results in 116 per cent increase in marketable fruits over hybrids varieties.”