Indian researchers have developed the first ever low-pungent mustard that is pest and disease-resistant.
- It is based on CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing, while being non-GM and transgene-free.
Key points
- Indian Mustard seeds contain high levels of glucosinolates, a group of sulphur and nitrogen-containing compounds contributing to the characteristic pungency of their oil and meal.
- That limits the mustard oil’s acceptability among consumers – especially those preferring cooking medium having less strong flavour and odour.
- The low-seed high-leaf glucosinolate mustard lines developed by scientists are genome edited or GE, as opposed to GM or transgenic plants.
- Researchers edited 10 out of the 12 glucosinolate transporter or GTR genes in ‘Varuna’, a high-yielding Indian mustard variety.
- They used CRISPR/Cas9 – a gene-editing tool deploying an enzyme, which acts as a “molecular scissors” to cut the DNA at precise targeted locations of the gene, and then letting the natural DNA repair process to take over.
- The Cas9 enzyme derived from the Streptococcus pyogenes bacteria was used to cut the DNA of the targeted genes in the first-generation plants.
- This protein is segregated out in the subsequent generations. The final GE lines contain no Cas9 protein and are transgene-free.
GM crops
- GM crops are currently subjected to stringent environmental release regulations in India.
- Such release is contingent upon clearance from a special Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).
- The GEAC’s green signal is itself not binding on the Union Government, which gives the final nod.
(Source: Indian Express)
