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Chitra Phadnis

BANGALORE, May 9

MONSANTO is working on a second generation of Bt gene-fortified seeds. The new seed will have two genes introduced into it instead of one, a process called gene pyramiding.

The current generation of the Bt gene seed could continue for five to seven years, after which there was a chance that insects might develop resistance to it, said Dr T. Manjunath, Director, Research and Development (R&D), Monsanto.

The company makes sure that the likelihood of resistance is minimal, by recommending ``resistance management'' techniques. Farmers are asked to plant five rows of non-Bt cotton around each farm of Bt cotton plants.

Dr Manjunath said the insects that feed on Bt cotton usually die. It is the marginal per cent that might survive which could develop resistance in the next generation. But this would happen only if they mated with other survivors.

Resistance management makes sure that chances are minimised. The rows of non-Bt plants will ensure that insects, which have not fed on Bt plants, (and therefore not likely to develop the resistance gene) are available in plenty. Survivors mating with these insects are unlikely to be immune to Bt even in the next generation.

However, this could hold good for the next few years, after which gene pyramiding would have to be done to maintain the plant's efficacy against pests.

The company is working on the next batch that will have two Bt genes (cry IAC and cry 2Ab). The two genes are functionally similar (they both kill the same insect pests) but the mode of operation is different.

This way, even if the insect develops resistance to one of the genes, it does not really matter, because when it ingests the plant, the protein from the other gene present, will kill it. The process is based on the theory that it is highly improbable that any insect would develop resistance to both genes.

The India R&D centre is intensifying its work on the cotton seed. The next two Bt seeds are likely to be corn and soyabean, though work on that is still in the preliminary stages.

There has been a sudden spurt in interest in and demand for Bt cotton in the country. Part of it is unexpected fallout of activities of a large seed company, which illegally smuggling Bt cotton seeds into Gujarat and popularised it.

At present, Monsanto has licensed the gene to three companies — Mahyco, Rasi and Ankur. The companies introduce the Bt gene into their individual hybrids (most of which have been in existence for years) and market them.

This year, there are seeds with a capacity to be sown over one lakh acres all over the country, though the demand is for more.

DBT has also decided that only those areas where trials were carried out would be given the seeds.

Monsanto's clearance by DBT has opened floodgates for biotechnology say industry sources. While a number of companies and institutions are working on genetically-engineered crops, the immediate next in line is ProAgro's mustard, which has applied for GEACC clearance.

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