Effects of Bt-transgenic Crops on Non-target Organisms

Effects of Bt-transgenic Crops on
Non-target Organisms
 Introduction
For facilitating the development of Biotechnology in the State, Government of Gujarat had
constituted Gujarat State Biotechnology Mission, under the aegis of Department of Science and
Technology. GSBTM has been addressing various issues of biotechnology, mainly, Policy
implementation, R&D, Human Resource Development, business development, etc. It is also
endeavoring to address the key aspects relevant in implementation and regulation.
State Agriculture Universities (SAUs) at the state level, have been handling various issues of
biosafety, but, awareness generation and systematic information dissemination has not been into
their mandate. The area of biosafety has evolved from the biotechnological interventions into the
fields of agriculture. These fields of life sciences have interface with common people, and hence
generating awareness and consensus about GMOs, and the issues of biosafety in the state and the
nation is important.
GSBTM, as state nodal agency, has felt an urgent need to address these concerns, in first step;
GSBTM develop awareness in biosafety issues amongst the Biotechnology stakeholder of the
state. As part of this endeavor, GSBTM has developed a Biosafety Online Training Program
(BOTP), which intends to generate workforce in different strata of people in the field of Biosafety.
Presently GM crop approved by the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) for the
fields trials are conducted by the SAUs directly or indirectly. BRAI bill also give lots of
responsibility to SAUs. They have to conduct all the trails and cross check the data generated by
the company for the approval. Environmental Risk assessment on Non Targeted Organism (NTO)
is one of the important part included in it. Since the concept of the GMO is itself new and hence
assessment of NTO is a tough task. Reporting of the same is equally important as on the basis of
this only higher authority like GEAC takes a call on the crop. Hands on training on biosafety will
be beneficiary to not only scientist but to the community too.
 Facts about Risk Assessment in India
Different guideline have been framed by DBT, ICAR & ICMR from time to time for conducting
risk assessment of GM crops. These guidelines get updated as and when new scientific information
is generated. Guidelines are vast and never exhausting like, as they are updated regularly.
For biosafety studies on GM crops, the trials are conducted in both or one of the two cropping
seasons, depending on the nature of the crop. At present mainly Agricultural Universities conduct
the Risk assessment of the GM crop. At the time of fields trials Principle Investigator is the key
person which implements the rules on the fields. Associate professor, Research Associates, JRF
and SRF help him in conducting the trails. All of them are answerable to Institute Biosafety
Committee (IBSC) which in turn report to Review Committee on Genetic Modifications (RCGM)
& Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC). GEAC also get inputs from Monitoring
Effects of Bt-transgenic Crops on
Non-target Organisms
cum Evaluation Committee (MEC). Apex body GEAC than on the basis of report on Risk
assessment submitted decide on the fate of GM crops.
The above said investigator and committee also look on the Risk Assessment of GM Crops on
NTOs which is the part of Risk Assessment. India has few experts in the fields of risk assessment
of GM Crops on NTOs.
 Facts about GM crops in India
There are many crops grown in India, with varied production level. With only one GM crop
approved till date, India has the largest hectare of cotton and accounts for approximately one third
of the total cotton are planted in the world. Many more GM crops developed by public sector
institutes or private companies are there in pipeline. GEAC & RCGM are the apex bodies which
look after the GM crops in India.
 Facts of crops grown in Gujarat
Gujarat is a small state but it has four ecological zone, which prove that it has wide diversity. Each
zone has its own problem and a solution. Agricultural Universities of the respective zones are
searching for the solution and had delivered their best in the past. Presently drought & less nutrients
crops are the major problems in Gujarat. Various Agri. Universities & private industries have come
up with the solution of drought resistance & more nutrients crops with the help of GM technique.
Presently GM drought resistance maize field trails are on in Gujarat.
Risk assessment on the NTOs not only consider the insects beneficial to the GM crop but it has
also to look on the impact on other organism which are beneficial to adjacent or other crops.
Therefore study of the important crops of the area is also a important part. Gujarat has four agro
climatic zones with different major crops, and hence the NTO are also different. The major crops
of different zones are given in the following table.
Zone I
Vadodara
Cotton
Maize
Wheat
Banana
Ahmedabad
Cotton
Wheat
Rice
Castor
Anand
Banana
Rice
Bajra
Wheat
Dahod
Maize
Wheat
Onion
Rice
Kheda
Rice
Bajra
Wheat
Potato
Panchmahal
Maize
Wheat
Rice
Bajra
Effects of Bt-transgenic Crops on
Non-target Organisms
Zone II
Junagadh
Groundnut
Wheat
Cotton
Onion
Jamnagar
Cotton
Groundnut
Wheat
Onion
Rajkot
Cotton
Wheat
Groundnut
Onion
Porbandar
Groundnut
Wheat
Onion
Cotton
Surendranagar
Cotton
Wheat
Caster
Cumin
Bhavnagar
Cotton
Onion
Groundnut
Bajra
Amreli
Cotton
Groundnut
Wheat
Onion
Zone III
Tapi
Sugarcane
Rice
Zowar
Groundnut
Navsari
Rice
Sugarcane
Banana
Tur
Valsad
Rice
Sugarcane
Ragi
Banana
Surat
Sugarcane
Rice
Banana
Zowar
Bharuch
Banana
Cotton
Sugarcane
Tur
Narmada
Banana
Cotton
Sugarcane
Tur
Dang
Rice
Onion
Wheat
Ragi
Zone IV
Banaskantha
Potato
Bajra
Castor
Wheat
Gandhinagar
Cotton
Potato
Wheat
Castor
Mehsana
Cotton
Wheat
Potato
Castor
Patan
Cotton
Castor
Wheat
Bajra
Sabarkantha
Cotton
Wheat
Potato
Maize
Kutch
Cotton
Groundnut
Castor
Wheat
Source: Agriculture Department of Gujarat, Data Year 2011 to 2013
 Definition of the Problem
NTOs are an important fauna of the agriculture ecosystem, and have been a matter of study and
discussion in context of all GM crops, and especially the ones having insecticidal traits. The basic
technique of assessing the harmful effects of insecticidal protein on NTO’s starts with laboratory
testing on cell line followed by real time field data. The Agricultural Universities of the state, in
time to come might serve as a nodal point for genesis of newer GM varieties, and this workshop
intends to equip the scientists with one of the tool of Risk Assessment i.e Effect of toxin on NTOs.
Also the risk assessment reports submitted by companies to Agriculture Universities can be better
guided by the faculty. A list of the beneficiary insects for the select crops zone wise is as given in
below table.
Effects of Bt-transgenic Crops on
Non-target Organisms
Zone - 1
Crop
Wheat
Earthworms
Damsel Bug
Lysiphlebus testaceipes
Syrphid fly
Chrysoperla carnea
Birds
Beneficiary Insects
Wasps
Coccinella septempunctata
Cotesia sp.
Trichogramma
Spider
Zone - 2
Crop
Spiders
praying mantis
ants
damsel flies/dragon flies
shield bugs
Groundnut
ground beetle
earwig, braconids
NPV
Bacillus papillae
Beneficiary Insects
long horned grasshoppers
robar fly
green lace wing
flower bugs
lady bird beetles
predatory cricket
trichogrammatids
green muscular fungus
Bracon hebetor
Zone - 3
Crop
Hirusutella citriformis
Epiricania melanoleuca
Metarhizium anisopliae,
Dipha aphidivora
Sugarcane Micromus igorotus
Eupeodes confrater
Encarcia flavocutellum,
Amitus minervae
Beneficiary Insects
Aschersonia placenta,
Sturmiopsis inferens
Trichogramma chilonis,
Isotima javensis
Beauveria bassiana,
Coccinella septempunctata,
Menochilus sexmaculatus
Encarsia isaaci
Effects of Bt-transgenic Crops on
Non-target Organisms
Zone - 4
Crop
Castor
spiders
Trichospilus pupivora
ichneumonid larval parasite
Braconid parasite
Chalcid
Braconid
Beneficiary Insects
coccinellid
Apanteles prodeniae
Angitia argenteopilosa
Microplitis maculipennis
Euplectrus sp.
Rhogas
Trichogramma evanescens minutum
Source: Agricultural Universities of Gujarat
 Structure & Approach
The problem & gap can be solved & filled through following ways:
1. Hands on training for conducting study of effect of GM crops on NTO’s.
2. Risk assessment report writing
To identifying which individual needs this training is difficult for anyone. Therefor an
advertisement in the Gujarat addition newspapers will be well to find out those individual. An
online application form will be made by this office for applying for this workshop. Anyone who
is interested can apply for this workshop through the online form. Application form may be closed
as when this office decide, but it will be appropriate to open the form for 20 days & it will be
extended if the office required to do so.
Such kind of workshop must be organized once in a year. Since guidelines changes according to
the new outcome. And new brigade also has to be train in this field for greater impact. Periodically
arranging of such workshop will be decided on the basis of feedback, this office received from the
first workshop.
Effects of Bt-transgenic Crops on
Non-target Organisms
 Program Structure
Day 1
09:00– 09:15
09:15 – 09:30
09:30 – 10:30
10:30-11:00
Session I : Inaugural session
Welcome address
Introduction of participants
Key note address – An overview of agricultural biotechnology
and non-target organism testing in India
Address by Chief Guest
11:00-11:30
Tea Break
Session II : Principles of testing non-target effects of genetically engineered crops
Overview of Indian regulatory framework for testing non-target
11:30-12:30
effects of genetically engineered crops
12:30-13:30
Biosafety and environmental risk assessment of GM crops
13:30-14:30
Lunch Break
1430-1530
Practical: Plating for testing microbial activity
15:30-16:00
Tea Break
Practical: Detached leaf assay to evaluate transgenic crops for
1600 - 1730
resistance to Helicoverpa
Day 2
Session III: Protocols for assessing of bio-safety of transgenic crops to non-target
organisms
Protocols for biosafety assessment of transgenic crops to
09:00-10:00
generalist predators
Protocols for biosafety assessment of transgenic crops to
10:00-11:00
parasitoids
11:00-11:30
Tea Break
Protocols for evaluation of biosafety of transgenic crops to
11:30-12:30
microflora and fauna in the rhizosphere
12:30-13:30
Protocols for biosafety of transgenic crops to insect pollinators
13:30-14:30
Lunch Break
14:30-15:30
Practical: Sampling for non-target arthropods in the field
Day 3
Session IV : Influence of genetically modified crops on non-target organisms
Effects of Bt-transgenic Crops on
Non-target Organisms
09:00-10:00
10:00-1045
1045-11:00
11:00-11:45
1145 - 1230
12:30-14:00
1400 - 1530
1530 – 1600
16:00 -17:30
0900 - 1030
1030 - 1100
1100 - 1230
1230 – 1330
1330 - 1430
Protocols for food safety assessment of transgenic crops to
higher animals
Guidelines for conducting GM field trials
Tea break
Genetic purity testing of GM crops
GSBTM Talk
Lunch
Practical: ELISA test for detection of Bt toxin in plants tissue
Tea break
Practical: Testing genetic purity of GM seed
Day 4
Practical: Testing for transgene in food/food products
Tea Break
Practical: Data recording on detached leaf assay
Practical: Data recording on soil microbes
Lunch
 Program Structure is tentative & subject to change
 Participants
Workshop will be attendant by only the person who are doing risk assessment of GM crops. Mainly
it is done by the Agricultural Universities and by the private companies. Therefor target audience
for the workshop will be associate professor and above grade scientist of Agricultural Universities.
Since this is very specific workshop hence workshop will not be able to train more than 20
participants at a time.
 Scrutiny & Selection of Participants
GSBTM vide a letter would request the Vice Chancellor of Agriculture Universities to recommend
5 appropriate candidates for the program. On receipt of the recommendations, GSBTM would
contact the candidates for their detailed CVs and other details if any.
 Expected Outcome

Scientist trained in assessing various aspects of ill effects of GM traits on NTOs

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