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Fields Of Trial: List of GMO Field Trials in India

By Amit Srivastava
India Resource Center
March 25, 2002

It seems that the government of India is preparing to approve Bt Cotton for commercial use in India. The process, if one can call it that, for approval has been marked with secrecy and irregularities- leading to a huge controversy. We even have US delegations advising Indian judiciary of the benefits of biotechnology! Check out the related story Bt Cotton: Seeds of Discontent for details.

Indian and foreign institutions have geared up to take advantage of the anticipated approvals of biotechnology in the agricultural sector, and the following is a partial list of field trials being conducted in India currently.

GMO Field Trials in India
Organism Common Name: Bell pepper
Gene:Snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis) Lectin gene
Organisation:M/s Rallis India Ltd., Bangalore- Tata group company
Purpose of release:Resistance against lepidopteran, coleopteran & homopteran pests; transformation experiments in progress.

Organism Common Name: Brassica / Mustard
Gene:Barstar, Barnase, Bar
Organisation:M/s Proagro PGS (India) Ltd., New Delhi- Proagro owned by Hoechst Schering AgrEvo
Purpose of release:To develop better hybrid cultivars suitable for local conditions; over 15 locations contained field trails completed.

Organism Common Name: Brinjal
Gene:Cry1A(b)
Organisation:M/s Proagro PGS (India) Ltd., New Delhi-Proagro owned by Hoechst Schering AgrEvo
Purpose of release:To develop plants resistant to lepidopteran pests; glass house experiments in progress.

Organism Common Name: Brinjal
Gene:Btgene
Organisation:Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi
Purpose of release:To impart lepidopteran pest resistance, transformation completed, green house trials completed and one season field completed

Organism Common Name: Cabbage
Gene:Cry1H/Cry9C
Organisation:M/s Proagro PGS (India) Ltd., New Delhi- Proagro owned by Hoechst Schering AgrEvo
Purpose of release:To develop resistance to pests; glass house experiments in progress

Organism Common Name: Cauliflower
Gene:Barnase, Barstar and Bar
Organisation:M/s Proagro PGS (India) Ltd., New Delhi- Proagro owned by Hoechst Schering AgrEvo
Purpose of release:To develop hybrid cultivars for local use; glass house experiments in progress

Organism Common Name: Cauliflower
Gene:Cry1H/Cry9C
Organisation:M/s Proagro PGS (India) Ltd., New Delhi- Proagro owned by Hoechst Schering AgrEvo
Purpose of release:To develop resistance to pests; glass house experiments in progress

Organism Common Name: Cauliflower
Gene:Bt gene
Organisation:Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi
Purpose of release:To impart lepidopteran pest resistance, transformation completed, green house trials completed

Organism Common Name: Chilli
Gene:Snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis) Lectin gene
Organisation:M/s Rallis India Ltd., Bangalore- Tata group company
Purpose of release:Resistance against lepidopteran,coleopteran & homopteran pests; transformation experiments in progress.

Organism Common Name: Cotton
Organism Scientific Name:Gossypium hirsutum
Gene:Cry1A(c)
Organisation:M/s MAHYCO, Mumbai-joint venture with Monsanto
Purpose of release:To develop resistance against lepidopteran pests; Multicentric field trials in over 40 locations completed and further contained field trails in progress

Organism Common Name: Mustard / rape seed
Gene:Bar, Barnase, Barstar
Organisation:Delhi University, South Campus, New Delhi
Purpose of release:Plant transformations completed and ready for green house experiments

Organism Common Name: Mustard/ rapeseed
Gene:Arabidopsis annexin gene
Organisation:Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi
Purpose of release:Transformation completed, Green house trial completed, ready for field-trials for moistureresistance stress

Organism Common Name: Potato
Organism Scientific Name:Solanum tuberosum
Gene:Bt toxin Gene
Organisation:Central Potato Research Institute, Simla
Purpose of release:To generate plants resistant to lepidopteran pests. Ready to undertake Green House trials.

Organism Common Name: Potato
Organism Scientific Name:Solanum tuberosum
Gene:Gene expressing for seed protein containing lysine obtained from seeds of Amaranthus plants (Ama-1 gene)
Organisation:Jawaharlal NehruUniversity, New Delhi
Purpose of release:Transformation completed and transgenic potato under evaluation.

Organism Common Name: Rice
Organism Scientific Name:Oryza sativa
Gene:Bt toxin genes
Organisation:Bose Institute, Calcutta
Purpose of release:To generate plants resistant to lepidopteran pests. Ready to undertake Green House testing.

Organism Common Name: Rice
Organism Scientific Name:Oryza sativa
Gene:Reporter genes like hph or gus A
Organisation:Tamilnadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore
Purpose of release:To study extent of transformation

Organism Common Name: Rice
Organism Scientific Name:Oryza sativa
Gene:Selectable marker genes e.g. hygromycin resistance and gus
Organisation:Delhi University, South Campus, New Delhi
Purpose of release:Gene regulation studies. Transformations completed.

Organism Common Name: Rice
Organism Scientific Name:Oryza sativa
Gene:Bt toxin gene
Organisation:Indian Agricultural Research Institute sub station at Shillong
Purpose of release:To impart lepidopteran resistance, transformations in progress.

Organism Common Name: Tobacco
Organism Scientific Name:Nicotiana tabacum
Gene:Bt toxin gene Cry1A(b) and Cry1C
Organisation:Central Tobacco Research Institute., Rajahmundri
Purpose of release:To generate plants resistant to H.armigera and S.litura. One round contained field trial completed. Further evaluation under progress.

Organism Common Name: Tomato
Organism Scientific Name:Lycopersicon esculentum
Gene:Cry1A(b)
Organisation:M/s Proagro PGS (India) Ltd., New Delhi-Proagro owned by Hoechst Schering AgrEvo
Purpose of release:To develop plants resistant to lepidopteran pests; glass house experiments and one season contained field experiment completed.

Organism Common Name: Tomato
Organism Scientific Name:Lycopersicon esculentum
Gene:Snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis) Lectin gene
Organisation:M/s Rallis India Ltd., Bangalore- Tata group company
Purpose of release:Resistance against lepidopteran,coleopteran & homopteran pests; transformation experiments in progress.

Organism Common Name: Tomato
Organism Scientific Name:Lycopersicon esculentum
Gene:Bt gene
Organisation:Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi
Purpose of release:To impart lepidopteran pest resistance, transformation completed, green house trials completed and one season field completed

Source: The Biosafety Information Network and Advisory Service (BINAS), United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).




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