BharatNotes What is Genetically Modified Mustard?
Genetically Modified (GM) Mustard in the Indian context refers to DMH-11 (Dhara Mustard Hybrid-11), a transgenic variety of Brassica juncea developed at the University of Delhi's Centre for Genetic Manipulation of Crop Plants (CGMCP) under Prof. Deepak Pental, with backing from the NDDB and the Department of Biotechnology. Because mustard self-pollinates, breeders cannot easily produce high-yielding hybrids; DMH-11 solves this using a three-gene system sourced from the soil bacterium Bacillus amyloliquefaciens.
The Barnase-Barstar-Bar Gene System
| Gene | Function in DMH-11 |
|---|---|
| Barnase | Induces male sterility by destroying the tapetal cell layer in the anther, preventing pollen formation. Carried by the male-sterile parent line. |
| Barstar | Acts as an inhibitor that binds and neutralises barnase, restoring fertility in the hybrid. Carried by the restorer parent line. |
| Bar | Confers tolerance to the herbicide glufosinate; used here primarily as a selection marker. |
The male-sterile parent (carrying barnase) is crossed with the restorer parent (carrying barstar); the resulting DMH-11 hybrid carries all three genes and is fully fertile. The two parental events are designated bn3.6 and modbs2.99.
Yield and Significance
In Biosafety Research Level (BRL) trials, DMH-11 recorded about 28.15% higher yield over the check variety Varuna (trials spanning 2010-11 to 2014-15, as reported by the GEAC/PIB, 2022). India imports a large share of its edible oil, so a higher-yielding domestic oilseed hybrid is framed as a food-security and import-substitution measure.
Regulatory and Legal Status
- The Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC), under the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEFCC), recommended the environmental release of DMH-11 and its parental lines at its 147th meeting on 18 October 2022, for a limited period of four years (renewable).
- This marked a shift after the 2009 moratorium on GM crops (Bt brinjal).
- The approval was challenged in the Supreme Court. On 23 July 2024, a two-judge bench delivered a split verdict in Gene Campaign v. Union of India: Justice B.V. Nagarathna quashed the approval citing procedural lapses and public-interest concerns, while Justice Sanjay Karol upheld it. The Court directed the Centre to frame a National GM-crop policy in consultation with stakeholders.
- As a result, DMH-11 has not entered commercial cultivation (status as of June 2026). Bt cotton (2002) remains the only GM crop grown commercially in India.
UPSC Angle
Expect questions linking DMH-11 to the GEAC's role, the function of the three genes, herbicide-tolerance concerns, and the judiciary's call for a national GM policy. It is a strong anchor for GS3 biotechnology and food-security answers and connects to GS2 themes of regulatory governance and judicial review.
