Why adoption of GM mustard is necessary for India?

GM crops are genetically engineered crops which undergo gene alteration and modification. The gene of plants are artificially modified, usually by inserting genetic material from another organism, in order to give it new properties, such as increased yield, herbicide tolerance, resistance to disease or drought, or improved nutritional value. Earlier, India had approved the commercial cultivation of only one GM crop, i.e. Bt-cotton, but now Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) has recommended GM mustard for commercial use. GM mustard is technically known as DMH11 (Dhara Mustard Hybrid 11). It is a genetically engineered crop where a scientific process is carried out using the Bar-Barnase-Barstar gene system to create a mustard hybrid. The Bar gene confers the herbicide tolerant (HT) trait in GM mustard. Meanwhile, the field trials carried out by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) for the DMH-11 variety showed an average 28 per cent yield increase over ...