CA - S&T - 1224

Topic 1: GM Crops

A. GM Cotton
Developed: Mahyco + Monsanto
Genes: Cry1Ab, Cry2Bc (Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) )
Seeds: Bollgard1, Bollgard2
Issues: yield stagnation, Pest attack, Weed attack;
Working: Cry proteins -> Paralyze bollworms -> Death
Acreage: MoA - 93% by 2011;

Advantages:
Insect control: 3 types- American, spotted, pink bollworm;
Yield: 3 times between 2002 and 2014; India - largest producers from importer;
Economic: Reduced insecticide cost; increased income (reduced cost, increased yield)
Environment: Reduced pollution, bio-magnification;
Nutrition: GM Rice-Vit A;

Issues:
Pest: American bollworm (controlled) , Pink bollworm (developed resistance - super bugs) : BG1-
2009, BG 2 - 2014;
Non-target pests: artificial selection pressure -> alternate pests
Ecological: Extinction vs Super bugs/weeds
Biodiversity: 2004 Govt Biotechnology task force - no GM in BD rich area;
Seeds: Terminator seeds: Greenpeace: Farmers loose sovereign rights over seeds;
Yield: MoA: 2003, Bt Acreage 3.4%, yield enhancement- 60%; 2005 Acreage 15%, yield
enhancement-90%; Guj: acreage - 5%, yield: 138%;
Seed: Public sector rollback; private dominance
Economical: Increased insecticide,
Farmer/Agri distress: Greenpeace -> Increased cost, stagnating yields;
Regulation: PSC pointed regulatory lapses in field trial and data monitoring
Socio-economic: 2004 TF: rural women 4.25 crore employment man days (de-weeding)
Nutrition: SC TEC, 2013: complete ban on GM food - increased herbicide application
Intelligence agencies: NGO's like Greenpeace, Gene campaign; foreign funded anti-national
activities
Black market: Seeds sale; Shatkari Sanghatan, 2019 - defied laws

B. GM Brinjal
Developed: Mahyco;
Genes: Cry1Ac;
Status: 2007-2009: Tests carried out
o 2009, Oct: GEAC granted approval
o 2010: SC TEC stayed; Govt adopted 10 year moratorium; More trials
o 2020: Moratorium ended
o 2020-23: trials in 8 states including PB, HR

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C. GM Mustard:
Developed: Deepak Pental;
Genes: Bar-Barnase-Barstar
Advantages: Heterosis breeding; controlling inbreeding and promoting hybridization;
Status:
o 2014-15: confined biosafety trials
o 2015: GEAC approval granted; later retracted;
o 2017: SC stayed commercial release
o 2018: field trials approved in PB and HR;

Governance structure
GEAC
Ministry/Government
FSSAI

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 Topic 2: Vaccines

Acts: Drugs and cosmetics Act, 1940; Drugs and clinical trial rules, 2019;

Process:
Stage 1:
Prior permission from DCGI; Register on website of ICMR

Stage 2: Trails
Phase 1: Clinical pharmacology
Phase 2: Exploratory trials
Phase 3: Confirmatory trials

Stage 3: Approval
CDSCO: Central drug standard control organization;

Types of vaccines:
Live attenuated: weakened virus; e.g. Smallpox, Chucken pox;
Inactivated vaccine: Killed virus; e.g. Polio, Covaxin
Subunit, Conjugate:
Viral vector: target DNA + harmless virus vector; e.g. Covishield
mRNA: antigen coding mRNA sequence; E.g. Pfizer, Moderna COVID 19 vaccines;

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 Topic 3: Fuels

Biofuels; fossil fuels; Hybrid vehicles; Electric vehicles; Hydrogen fuel cells;

A. Biofuels:
Source: Agriculture waste, farm, and crop waste, kitchen waste, specific plants

Major types:
Bioethanol
Biodiesel
Biogas

Generations:
Generation 1: Source - food crop; starch, sugar, oils; E.g. Wheat, barley, sugarcane; e.g. Corn
ethanol, Soy biodiesel;
Generation 2: Source - forest by products, cellulose; E.g. Rice husk, plants like Poplar
Generation 3: Specific plants and micro-organism; E.g. Algae
Generation 4: Genetically engineered carbon intensive crop + 2nd generation production
technology

B. Electric:
Lead Acid batteries:
Nickel-cadmium batteries:
Lithium-Ion batteries:
Metal air batteries:

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