What are the reasons for the peoples resistance to the introduction of Bt brinjal in India? 1. Bt brinjal has been created by inserting a gene from a soil fungus into its genome. 2. The seeds of Bt brinjal are terminator seeds and therefore, the farmers h

examrobotsa's picture

Submitted by examrobotsa on

Q: 89 (IAS/2012)
What are the reasons for the people’s resistance to the introduction of Bt brinjal in India?
1. Bt brinjal has been created by inserting a gene from a soil fungus into its genome.
2. The seeds of Bt brinjal are terminator seeds and therefore, the farmers have to buy the seeds before every season from the seed companies.
3. There is an apprehension that the consumption of Bt brinjal may have adverse impact on health.
4. There is some concern that the introduction of Bt brinjal may have adverse effect on the biodiversity.
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

question_subject: 

Ecology

question_exam: 

IAS

stats: 

0,103,196,25,54,103,117

keywords: 

{'bt brinjal': [1, 0, 0, 1], 'biodiversity': [2, 0, 2, 9], 'seeds': [3, 0, 2, 2], 'genome': [1, 0, 0, 0], 'terminator seeds': [0, 0, 0, 1], 'gene': [2, 0, 0, 0], 'resistance': [0, 0, 1, 2], 'seed companies': [0, 0, 0, 2], 'consumption': [2, 4, 6, 10], 'introduction': [4, 0, 7, 7], 'farmers': [1, 3, 8, 26], 'soil fungus': [0, 0, 0, 1], 'reasons': [1, 0, 2, 7]}

The correct answer is option 3 which includes statements 3 and 4. The explanation for each statement is as follows:

1. This statement is incorrect in context. Bt brinjal has been genetically modified by the insertion of a gene from a bacterium named Bacillus thuringiensis, not a soil fungus.

2. The concept of "terminator seeds" is a topic of controversy and debate, but it`s not specifically related to the resistance to Bt brinjal in India.

3. This statement is correct and a reason for resistance. There is anxiety that Bt brinjal might have a negative impact on health, as its long term effects have not been thoroughly studied.

4. This statement is also correct. Introducing Bt brinjal could pose threats to biodiversity as it could cross-breed with native varieties and alter ecological balances.

Therefore, the reasons for resistance are primarily health concerns and potential impact on biodiversity.