Which one of the following Bt crops is being grown in India by the farmers?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → Soyabean
Note: The question can have more than one correct answer, i.e. both Option (2) and Option (4), as explained below.
Option (2) Maize: maize is corn, and the book names Bt corn as a Bt crop.
Option (4) Soyabean: the book names soyabean in the same list.
The book does not say which of these crops are grown by farmers in India, so it gives no way to choose between the two.
A Bt crop carries the toxin gene of the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis. The plant makes the Bt toxin itself, so the insect pests that feed on it die. Such a crop needs far less insecticide.
Option (1) Brinjal — Incorrect. Brinjal is not in the NCERT list of Bt crops.
Option (2) Maize — Correct as per NCERT. Corn is the common name of maize in many countries. Bt corn is the second crop the book names.
Option (3) Wheat — Incorrect. Wheat is not named among the Bt crops in the book.
Option (4) Soyabean — Correct. Soyabean is one of the Bt crops named in the book, so it fits the question.
NCERT Extract:
Biotechnological Applications in Agriculture – “… Some of the applications of biotechnology in agriculture that you will study in detail are the production of pest resistant plants, which could decrease the amount of pesticide used. Bt toxin is produced by a bacterium called Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt for short). Bt toxin gene has been cloned from the bacteria and been expressed in plants to provide resistance to insects without the need for insecticides; in effect created a bio-pesticide. Examples are Bt cotton, Bt corn, rice, tomato, potato and soyabean etc.”