Govt seeks clarifications over seeds of Bt brinjal

The Genetic Engineering Approval Committee of the environment ministry has sought clarifications over safety of Bt brinjal seeds from its manufacturers, Mahyco.

Mahyco had sought permission for large-scale seed production and field trials of Bt brinjal, which is the first genetically altered food crop to seek such approval in India.

The company was asked at the GEAC last week to clarify on some specific safety concerns raised by a member. The clarifications provided by the company are to be put on the ministry's website and comments sought from the public, a member of the committee said.

The main clarifications sought were regarding the tests on 'fruit dry matter', flavour, and effect of leaves on goats and cattle who fed on them.

One of the expert members wanted the analysis of fruit dry matter to be carried out to determine differences in yield. The committee also sought leaf feeding studies on goats, as studies have been confined to fruit so far. Bt brinjal being a food crop, a flavour analysis of Bt and non-Bt fruits was also sought.

Permission has been sought for large-scale trials and seed production of four Bt Brinjal hybrids, namely MHB-4 Bt, MHB-9 Bt, MHB-80 Bt and MHBJ-99 Bt expressing cry 1 Ac gene.

Mayhco has produced transgenic brinjal plants with Cry 1AC gene from Bacillus Thuringiensis tolerant to the fruit and shoot borer, one of the major pests which attack the brinjal crop throughout its life cycle.

In accordance with the regulatory requirements, the company has completed bio-safety studies to establish environmental and health safety. The Bt brinjal hybrids developed by the company have also completed the multi-locational trials.

The company made a presentation before the committee covering the studies carried out by the company during 2002-06. The bio-safety studies include pollen escape, outcrossing, aggressiveness, germination and weediness, effect on non-target organisms, presence of Cry 1AC protein in soil, effect of Cry1 AC protein on soil micro-flora, and baseline susceptibility studies.

Meanwhile, protests are coming thick and fast from activist groups against genetically engineered brinjal. Aid India, an NGO, has shot off a memorandum to the committee saying that the matter of genetically modified crops was pending judgement in the Supreme Court and hence approval for Bt brinjal could not be granted now.

Speak Our Salem, a group in southern India, has also written to the committee and the ministry saying that there were violations in the Bt brinjal field trials in Andhra Pradesh.