•How many vegetable crops have been genetically modified?

Globally, 23 such species have been genetically engineered and are being tested. China grows tomato, papaya and sweet pepper commercially; the US grows squash (a variety of gourd) and papaya. Over a dozen biotech crops are currently being field-tested, including the three major staples (rice, maize and wheat) and potato, tomato, soybean, cabbage, peanut, melon, papaya, sweet pepper, chilli and rapeseed.

According to International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA), in 2007, 120 lakh farmers in 23 countries grew biotech crops on 114.3 million hectares.

•What is the status of Bt crops in India?

India approved Bt cotton in 2002 and since then, has cleared 135 different hybrids. India has displaced the USA as the second largest producer of cotton in the world after China. Production of cotton rose to an all-time high in 2007—from almost 194 million bales in 2002 when Bt cotton was first planted commercially in India to over 337 million bales in 2007.

•Why has brinjal been chosen for genetic modification?

The average brinjal yield in India is around 200 to 350 quintals a hectare. It is estimated that the damage caused by the Shoot and Fruit Borer in brinjal, the major pest, ranges from 50 to 70 per cent and in economic terms, the loss is estimated to be around $221 million. It is to lend tolerance to this pest that Bt Brinjal has been developed.

•Why this nervousness over its clearance?

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