A Vague and Dangerous Science
Pro-Agro has used very vague and potentially dangerous genetic engineering methods for producing this genetic modification of mustard. They have inserted foreign genes from different bacteria into the DNA of the host plant cell, using the unreliable gene gun technology, and agro-bacterium based transformation of foreign genes for this highly complex procedure. These methods can lead to unknown insertions of the gene material, and production of unknown proteins with potentially dangerous consequences.
Genetically Modified Mustard – how it is done
Name of Host - Brassica napus
Trait modified - Pollination control system, male sterility, fertility restoration, phosphinothiricin (PPT) herbicide tolerance; specifically, tolerance to glyfosinate ammonium.
Trait introduction method - Agrobacterium tumefaciens mediated plant transformation.
Culprits - Pro-Agro India Private Limited.
Messing with Mustard – A Food Crop is involved!
Rapeseed-mustard is one of the most important oil crops in India, cultivated on 6.68 million hectare, mainly in the northern plains. It is one of the major sources of edible oil for human consumption and oilseed cakes for animal feed. Mustard is the common name of the crop of genus ‘Brassica’, family ‘Cruciferae’. It is closely related to cabbage and cauliflower. Indian mustard is Brassica juncea (commonly called rai or raya or laha). B.rapa (B.camprestris) and B.naper are other important sources of edible oil in India.

The projected demand for oilseed in India is around 34 million tones by 2020, of which around 14 million tones (41%) is expected to be met by rapeseed mustard. Mustard cultivation is prominent in Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.
How Pro-Agro has Meddled with Mustard Genes ?
A bacterial gene that detoxifies the broad spectrum herbicide glucofosinate is transferred to GM rapeseed so that the plant is not affected by the herbicide. Another gene to ‘switch on’ the tolerance gene is also transferred, as well as male fertility and fertility restorer genes.
Bacterial Genes and their functions
A number of genes from different bacteria are transformed and this makes protein expressions and consumption of this modified food crop a huge potential risk. The following bacteria and their genes have been used in genetic modification of Mustard.

1. Bar – the glufosinate tolerance gene from Streptomyces hygroscopicus – Makes the plant tolerant to the herbicide glufosinate.

2. Barnase – the male sterility gene from the bacterium Bacillus amyloliquefaciens: a male sterile line, where pollen is not produced because of the barstar gene, is crossed with a fertility restorer line which counteracts the male sterility and allows fertile seeds to be produced. Both sets of genes are present in hybrid crops.

3. Barstar - fertility restoration gene from the bacterium B. amyloliquefaciens – Inhibits the action of barnase, restoring fertility to the plant.

4. PssuAra – promoter gene from Arabidopsis thaliana – Switches on the herbicide tolerance bar gene.

5. PTA29 – promoter gene from the tobacco plant Nicotiana tabacum – Directs the expression of the male sterility gene, barnase, to a layer of the anther, so that pollen is not produced.
   

Environmental and Health Implications of Genetically modified Mustard
Health Risks
Antibiotic resistance: Antibiotic markers such as kanamycin are used during the genetic transformation of mustard. The antibiotic is still used to treat infections in humans, and increased exposure to it might cause infections to become resistant to antibiotics, rendering these medicines ineffective.

Allergies: Introduction of new unrelated gene products with new unknown proteins will cause allergic responses. The expression of Brazil nut protein in soybean confirmed that genetic engineering could lead to the expression of allergenic proteins. In the absence of detailed scientific evaluation in India, it can become very dangerous, as a large percentage of the population does not have adequate medical support.

Toxicity: Introduction of new proteins or introduction of unknown toxic compounds will increase toxicity. Novel proteins produced in plants have the potential to cause human toxicity; further tests and scrutiny are needed.
Human Consumption
As a food, the use of GM Mustard is questionable. Some new routes can also transfer the unknown proteins to human beings. Consider for example, that bees are primary pollinators of rapeseed. Research has shown that foreign DNA in pollen can remain in honey for seven weeks. This is only one of the potential routes of entry for human consumption.
GM Mustard will increase the herbicide residue in food
GM Mustard is engineered to be herbicide tolerant, so that when a field is sprayed with herbicide, all plants except the GM Mustard will die. The use of herbicide tolerant GM crops (like GM Mustard) will increase the use of herbicides, thus increasing the amount of extremely toxic residues in food products. Further, glyphosate herbicides cause eye and skin irritation, cardiac problems, testicular cancer and a reduction in sperm count.
Environmental Concerns
GM Mustard will cause genetic pollution by transferring their genes to related plants.
One of the dangerous consequences of GM Mustard is that herbicide resistant genes could turn weeds into super weeds, which would become more difficult to control, and would therefore demand greater pesticide usage.
Cross Pollination
Oil seed has been seen to cross-pollinate with several wild, weedy relatives of the Brassica family. The foreign gene will enter the native gene pool through creation of hybrids. Hybridization has been proven to occur between oil seed rape and wild radish, wild turnip, hoary mustard and mustard greens. When the gene that confers tolerance to glufosinate moves to wild relatives, resistant rapeseed itself becomes a weed problem. Companies mostly proclaim “farmers should control these resistant weeds with other control products”.
Effects of gene flow to close relatives
Research in Scotland has found that evidence of new genes can spread 2.5 km away from test sites. Pollen dispersal can lead to gene flow, but only trace amounts are dispersed more than a few hundred feet. The transfer of conventionally bred or transgenic resistance traits to weedy relatives could worsen weed problems, but such problems have neither been observed nor adequately studied.
Unintended effects on non-target species
Although laboratory studies have reported damage to the larvae of monarch butterfly feeding on the pollen from Bt plants, no studies have shown an actual negative effect on butterfly densities in the wild. Further research is needed, however, before any conclusions can be reached.

Increased weediness : Some new traits introduced into crops - such as pest or pathogen resistance - could cause transgenic crops to become problem weeds. This could result in serious economic and ecological harm to farm or wildlife habitats.

Pests developing resistance to pest-protected plants: Insects, weeds and microbes have the potential to overcome most of the control options available to farmers, with significant environmental impacts.

Threats to biodiversity : Gene exchange could spread to wild relatives that are rare or endangered resulting in genetic contamination.

Monopolistic methods – First the company made Glufosinate, now they are developing crops that are genetically modified to resist Glufosinate – an indirect way to promote usage of their own herbicide. In Canada the GM crop and herbicide system is known as “Liberty link”.
GM crops are a threat to our Diversity
At present, one can find a number of varieties of a particular crop. This diversity represents our biological and cultural heritage. Crop diversity in a field helps us cope with harsh climatic changes that encourage epidemics of pests. It ensures food supply and security for a long time. The arrival of GM crops can threaten this diversity, since gene modification usually results in the creation of a monoculture.
Harmful Effects of Glufosinate
Glufosinate was first refused for approval by UK Ministry of Agricultre, Fisheries and Food ( MAFF) in 1984 because of the toxicity of the formulation. Toxic effects of glufosinate on human and animals are indicated, in particular, affecting the nervous system. Symptoms of glufosinate poisoning in humans include convulsions and short term memory loss. Studies have shown that it can cause deformities in rat and mouse embryo cultures. Increased use of glufosinate also poses health risks for farm workers.
Glufosinate kills soil bacteria and fungi and also affects soil microflora.
Glufosinate also leaches into water – making it a potential threat to water bodies and underground water (water for human consumption that then gets contaminated with the chemical).

Excessive use of this wide spectrum herbicide will also kill ‘normal’ weeds, which normally grow and are a source of food for small mammals and birds.

Most importantly, there is evidence that glufosinate tolerant rapeseed shows no decrease in the overall herbicide use as compared to unmodified crops.
The Dangerous Corporate Monopoly
Transnational companies (TNCs) see gene modification as an effective instrument by which they can create a demand and establish corporate monopoly. The strategy is simple:
TNCs do bio-prospecting to source out the richest sources of biological resources and indigenous knowledge. This is done without the consent of the local communities.
In the laboratories, scientists modify the genetic characteristics of the organism. Common people are no longer in control of the food they produce or the food they consume.
TNCs then patent the GMO - that is, they now own it completely, and only they can sell it. Indigenous peoples’ rights are totally ignored and their contribution is forgotten after it has been thoroughly exploited.

The TNCs, through the governments they control, force developing countries to buy the new product (often through unfair trade practices) thereby allowing the rich countries to get richer while the poor countries get poorer. While the profits of the TNC increase by doling out high-risk technology, the farmer loses control over agriculture and bio-resources as s/he is unable to regenerate the seed and now becomes dependent on the TNC. Trade in GM food and crops is dominated by a handful of multinational seed corporations such as Monsanto (USA), Dupont/Pioneer (USA) etc
Who stands to gain?
Given the risk associated with genetic engineering and the widespread concern for human health and the environment, we need to answer the question, “Who will benefit from this technology?” Agrochemical multinationals or “life science “ companies as they prefer to be known, claim that all their work keeps in mind the best interests of the farmer. At the same time, they are not wasting any time to patent genes used in the manufacture of these GMOs. Once protected by patents, seeds will only be available on payment of annual royalties and farmers will no longer be able to save and regenerate their seeds.

Furthermore, these large corporations are also marketing their herbicides worldwide. The very herbicides that need to be sprayed on the genetically engineered herbicide tolerant plants. First create the problem and then market the solution! These TNCs know that by seizing control of the world's staple crops, there are enormous profits to be made. Our fight should be to reclaim what is rightfully ours!
Stop GM Mustard… Stop this menace
Human health and impact on human beings is questionable
Long-term, cumulative environmental impacts are unknown risks and cannot be identified.
Cross-contamination of conventional and organic crops that grow in neighbouring fields is a reality. This can lead to potential genetic contamination as Mustard cross pollinates with wild relatives.
Safety of feeding GM Mustard cake to animals is questionable.
Who will own liability for the environmental harm caused by the release of GM Mustard in India?
If GM mustard is released in the absence of scientific observations by an independent body, all Indians will be reduced to guinea pigs. Any decision to approve the release of GM Mustard without appropriate evaluation is dangerous for all Indians.