Question

A genetically engineered form of brinjal, known as the Bt-brinjal, has been developed. The objective of this is

(a) to make it pest-resistant.

(b) to improve its taste and nutritive qualities.

(c) to make it drought-resistant.

(d) to make its shelf-life longer.

Answer 1

(a) Bt Brinjal is a transgenic brinjal created by inserting a gene cry1Ac from the soil bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis into Brinjal. This is said to give the Brinjal plant resistance against lepidopteran insects like the Brinjal Fruit and ***** Borer Leucinodes orbonalis and Fruit Borer Helicoverpa armigera.