Prelims 2012 · Science and Technology · Question 65
Other than resistance to pests, what are the prospects for which genetically engineered plants have been created?
- To enable them to withstand drought.
- To increase the nutritive value of the produce.
- To enable them to grow and do photosynthesis in spaceships and space stations.
- To increase their shelf life.
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
Answer
1, 2, 3 and 4
1. To enable them to withstand drought — Correct. GM crops have been developed for abiotic stress tolerance, including drought resistance.
2. To increase the nutritive value of the produce — Correct. Biofortification through genetic engineering is a well-known objective, e.g., vitamin-A enriched crops.
3. To enable them to grow and do photosynthesis in spaceships and space stations — Correct. Genetic engineering has also been explored to create plants suited for controlled/space environments, including life-support roles such as growth and photosynthesis in spacecraft or space stations; this appears to be the basis on which UPSC treated the statement as correct.
4. To increase their shelf life — Correct. GM plants have been created for delayed ripening and improved shelf life, e.g., Flavr Savr tomato.
Hence, 1, 2, 3 and 4 are correct. Revision note: My earlier rejection of statement 3 was too narrow; UPSC has taken a broader view of the prospects of genetic engineering in plants.