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Mahesh

07/05/23 07:51 AM IST

China approves safety of first gene-edited crop

In News
  • China has approved the safety of a gene-edited soybean, its first approval of the technology in a crop, as the country increasingly looks to science to boost food production.
About Gene-edited Soybean
  • The soybean, developed by privately owned Shandong Shunfeng Biotechnology Co., Ltd, has two modified genes, significantly raising the level of healthy fat oleic acid in the plant.
  • Shunfeng claims to be the first company in China seeking to commercialise gene-edited crops.
Gene Editing
  • Gene editing is distinct from genetic modification because it modifies existing genes instead of introducing foreign genes into a plant.
  • This technology is thought to be less hazardous than genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and is subjected to less regulation in certain countries, such as China, which established regulations on gene editing in 2020.
Genetic Modified crops
  • They are that type of plants whose DNA has been modified through genetic engineering for embedding a new trait to the plant which does not occur naturally in the species.
  • Genetic engineering aims to transcend the genus barrier by introducing an alien gene in the seeds to get the desired effects and the alien gene could be from a plant, an animal or even a soil bacterium.
  • Across the world, GM variants of maize, canola and soybean etc , are available.
Significance
  • China’s approval of a gene-edited soybean comes at a time when the country is facing increasing concerns over feeding its 1.4 billion people due to trade tensions, erratic weather, and war in Ukraine, a major grain exporter.
  • Additionally, China’s growing middle class is facing a surge in diet-related diseases.
  • While China is also promoting GMO crops, it is worth noting that large-scale trials of GM corn have begun this year.
Source- India Today

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