Commercial release of GM mustard (DMH-11) will help in its performance evaluation on a scale much larger than what is possible in experimental trials. Farmers can then decide on its acceptability. At this stage, the use of herbicides is limited to the selection of hybrid seeds and not for use in fields as such, although the farmer would have the option of using them in the field. A variety of hybrids can now be generated for greater crop yield, oil content, better oil quality and disease resistance. Experience in the last two decades has shown that GM corn, soybean and cotton have not posed any real environmental or health issues and that global acreage of these crops has only increased. India imports GM soybean oil and canola. The latter is produced from rape seeds using the same technology used in DMH-11 development. The embargo on Bt brinjal, which is still not lifted, was not based on science. Bangladesh took the technology from India and successfully commercialised it. It is believed that Bt brinjal has already crossed our borders into India! There has to be a decision on GM crops based on science and years of hard work.
G. Padmanaban,
Bengaluru
