Field trials of Genetically Modified (GM) rubber will be held in “designated experimental sites inside research farms” of the Rubber Research Institute of India in Kerala and Maharashtra for around 14 years, according to the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests.

The trials will not be done in commercially cultivated holdings and the growth of the GM rubber plants will be closely monitored by a multi-disciplinary team of scientists. Without field trials, it would not be possible to state whether there will be any adverse effects to the ecosystem from GM rubber, said Union Minister of State for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh in a letter to Kerala Agriculture Minister Mullakara Ratnakaran.

Mr. Ratnakaran had earlier written to Mr. Ramesh opposing the clearance given by the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee for field trials.

The GM rubber plants incorporate the target gene (MnSOD) from rubber itself and not from any other species. Hence, this GM plant is not transgenic in its strict sense. The new gene is expected to increase tolerance to drought and physiological disorders that significantly reduce rubber productivity. Laboratory studies indicate that there were good reasons to expect favourable results from GM rubber plants, he said.

Differentiating the case of Bt brinjal with GM rubber, Mr. Ramesh said that the committee gave clearance for “bio safety research level-1 trials at first stage, to assess the efficacy, safety and stability of the new GM rubber plant. The case of brinjal was for “commercialisation of a food crop,” he said.

No patents

The commercial cultivation of GM rubber will be contemplated only on the basis of results of the field trials.

The views of the State governments will be considered after the trials are completed.

The Institute “is not a private research institute interested in making GM rubber and making money by selling it. All plants/clones produced will go to the rubber growers free of cost. There are no patents for RRII rubber clones which are not Intellectual Property Right-protected as far as Indian growers are concerned,” he said.

In the past, RRII has produced and given highest-yielding clones to Indian rubber-growers for making India number one in terms of natural rubber productivity.

Extension of natural rubber cultivation to non-traditional areas such as Tripura, Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and North Konkan required development of new rubber varieties for which the GM approach was one option.

Climate change

The challenge of climate change, which has already led to longer dry periods for rubber cultivation, also necessitates the GM approach, he argued.

Mr. Ratnakaran had earlier pointed out that the State wished to remain free of GM crops.

The government adopted the stand to protect its agriculture, agro-biodiversity and its valuable biodiversity.

Mr. Ramesh had informed Parliament that Kerala had the right to remain GM free if it wished to do so as agriculture was a State subject, he said.

The Minister had also requested the Centre not to permit field trials of any GM crop in Kerala and the decision to permit open field trials or open releases should be taken only after getting written consent from the concerned States.

Keywords: Genetically Modified rubber, GM crops