Genetically modified Bt. Brinjal is developed for

Question

UnlockIAS · Accepted Answer

Correct — B, Insect Resistance. Bt brinjal is engineered to carry the cry1Ac gene from the soil bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). This gene makes the plant produce a Bt toxin/Cry protein that is lethal to the Brinjal Shoot and Fruit Borer (a lepidopteran insect pest) when the larva ingests it, but is not directly toxic to mammals — giving the plant built-in insect resistance.

Why the other options are wrong — (a) The cry1Ac gene targets insect pests, not water stress — Bt brinjal was not engineered for drought tolerance.  (c) The inserted gene comes FROM a bacterium (Bacillus thuringiensis) to make an insecticidal protein — it does not confer resistance against bacterial disease.  (d) The Bt toxin acts against insect larvae, not fungal pathogens — Bt brinjal offers no engineered fungal resistance.

Concept: 'Bt' crops (Bt cotton, Bt brinjal) are genetically modified to express a cry gene from Bacillus thuringiensis, a soil bacterium that naturally produces crystal (Cry) proteins toxic to specific insect larvae. When a target insect eats the plant tissue, the Cry protein binds to its gut and kills it, so the crop needs less chemical pesticide. This is insect resistance via a bacterial toxin gene — a distinct concept from drought-, disease-, or herbicide-tolerance traits engineered by other means.

State PCS 2022 Q2 — Economy PYQ with Answer

State PCS 2022 Q2 — Economy PYQ with Answer