Crop burning may hinder study

The destroyed plot is one of the 40 locations in India where the genetically engineered cotton is being tested by Maharashtra Hybrid Seed Company MAHYCO in which Monsanto, a US-based firm, has 26 per cent shares.

P K Ghosh, a senior adviser in DBT, said the field trial was being carried out since 1996 with full knowledge of his department. Permission to carry out trials was given two years ago by DBT and the trials are expected to conclude by the end of 1999.

He said the cotton plants carrieda gene from the bacillus thuringiensis8217; BT to make them resistant to bollworm, a cotton pest. The technology could help cotton growers save a lot of money they now spend on pesticides, Ghosh said. He said destruction of the crop was unwarranted as the trial plots growing BT cotton were being closely monitored by his department to check for escape of pollen. Studies showed that the pollen posed no threat to neighbouring crops as they did not travel beyond 1.5 metres.

8220;The trials posed no biosafety concern and toxicity tests in animals showed the BT cotton is perfectly safe and did not cause allergic reactions,8221; according to Ghosh.

He also said DBT was convinced of the safety of BT cotton and was going to recommend large-scale field trials.

He said the burning episode might cause a major setback to transgenic crops research in general. 8220;This would be sad because BT crops can potentially lead to huge reduction in consumption of pesticides,8221; he said.

DBT officials are surprised why farmers havetargeted Monsanto8217;s BT cotton when at least five more transgenic crops, four of them using imported BT genes, are at present being field-tested in India. These include potato, tomato, cauliflower and tobacco carrying the BT gene and a high yielding transgenic mustard that is being grown by Proagro, a private company in 20 locations across the country.

Ghosh again reaffirmed saying, 8220;DBT has given permission for all these trials after thoroughly examing the safety and other aspects.8221;

According to the the senior adviser in DBT, all these crops will be ready for large-scale trials next year. They will also be subjected to clearance from the ministry of environment.

The combined farmers8217; and environment lobby may, however, spell doom for engineered food.

Meanwhile, Vandana Shiva, an activist and president of the Research Foundation for Science Technology and Ecology, has called for an immediate halt to Monsanto8217;s trials.

A five-year moratorium on all commercialisation of genetically engineered cropshas also been called while adequate ecological and regulatory frameworks are evolved.