Brinjal has two seasons — the trials are expected to be done during June-September this year and January-April next year monitored by the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TANU ), Coimbatore. The trials will evaluate their agronomic performances as well as their efficacy in controlling fruit and shoot borer, the most common pest for brinjal. The trials are also meant to see if they impact beneficial insects.

The Mahyco brinjal hybrid has been locked in a long battle between activists and the government. After the biosafety data was put on the Ministry website, an expert committee was set up to evaluate comments from various stakeholders on the data and suggest further studies required to ascertain its safety.

The committee concluded that the biosafety data generated by the applicant is in order. “However, Bt brinjal being the first GM crop to be released in India and the first to be released globally, the committee was of the opinion that a cautious step by step approach needs to be taken.”

The committee said that while the data showed that the Bt version was safe, more studies specially with respect to toxicity need to be done. “Short term data generated on environment safety and socio economic aspects need to be further substantiated” said the committee. It said its benefits are to be compared to existing technologies specially with respect to methods of pest management.

GEAC, accepting the committee’s recommendations has decided that this hybrid needs to be tested at 11 locations and under the strict supervision of IIVR, Varanasi. In none of these trials, it would be taken to open farmers fields. New Studies that would be stipulated soon would be conducted in addition to the ones already required.

... contd.