Science & Tech · Agriculture · Environment · UPSC GS-III
GM Mustard (DMH-11) — India's First GM Food Crop? 🌻
Complete UPSC Notes — What is DMH-11, the barnase-barstar-bar gene system (diagram), why India needs it (edible oil crisis), GEAC approval (Oct 2022), SC split verdict (July 2024), concerns (pollinators, herbicide tolerance, superweeds). With MCQs and memory aids.
🌻 Dhara Mustard Hybrid-11 (DMH-11)
Barnase-Barstar-Bar Gene System
🇮🇳 Delhi University (Prof. Deepak Pental)
SC Split Verdict (July 2024) — On Hold
GEAC Approved Oct 2022
Would Be India's 1st GM Food Crop
📚 Legacy IAS — Civil Services Coaching, Bangalore · Updated: April 2026
Section 01 — Start Here
🔥 Why GM Mustard? — The Edible Oil Crisis
💡 The "Self-Pollinating Problem" Analogy
Most crops can be cross-bred easily to create high-yielding hybrids (like hybrid rice). But mustard is a self-pollinating plant — it pollinates itself before its flowers even open fully. This makes cross-breeding extremely difficult. It's like trying to introduce a new friend to someone who only talks to themselves. The barnase-barstar system solves this: the barnase gene makes one parent unable to produce pollen (forced to receive pollen from outside), and the barstar gene restores fertility in the offspring. Result: a hybrid mustard with 25-30% higher yield than either parent.
55%+
India's edible oil demand met by imports (~₹1.4 lakh crore/year)
40%
Share of mustard in India's total edible oil production
28%
Yield increase of DMH-11 over Varuna (national check variety)
8M ha
Current mustard cultivation area in India
⚠️ India's Oil Import Burden: India imports over 55% of its edible oil needs. In 2021-22, domestic production was 116.5 lakh tonnes but imports were 141.93 lakh tonnes. At current consumption rates, India will need ~34 million tonnes of edible oil by 2025-26. Mustard contributes 40% of domestic production. If DMH-11's yield claims hold (25-30% increase), it could significantly reduce this import dependence.
Section 02 — The Science (Made Easy)
🧬 The Barnase-Barstar-Bar System — Step by Step
📌 Three Genes, Three Jobs: All three genes come from the soil bacterium Bacillus amyloliquefaciens.
🧬 Barnase = makes the plant male-sterile (can't produce pollen) → becomes the "female" parent.
🧬 Barstar = blocks barnase in the offspring → restores fertility → seeds can be produced.
🧬 Bar = makes the plant herbicide-tolerant (resistant to glufosinate) → used to identify GM plants and maintain genetic purity. This is the controversial gene.
🌻 How DMH-11 is Created — The Barnase-Barstar System
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1
Create the Female Parent (Varuna + Barnase)
Indian mustard variety "Varuna" receives the barnase gene. This gene destroys the tapetum layer in the anther (pollen-producing structure) → plant becomes male-sterile (no pollen). It can only receive pollen from another plant — forced to "accept a partner."
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2
Create the Male Parent (Early Heera-2 + Barstar)
East European variety "Early Heera-2" receives the barstar gene. This gene blocks the action of barnase. This plant produces pollen normally — becomes the "male" parent.
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3
Cross-Pollinate → F1 Hybrid (DMH-11)
Male-sterile Varuna (barnase) is cross-pollinated with fertile Early Heera-2 (barstar). The resulting F1 hybrid (DMH-11) has both barnase and barstar genes. Barstar blocks barnase → fertility is restored → hybrid can produce seeds normally. This hybrid shows ~28% higher yield than Varuna due to heterosis (hybrid vigour).
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4
The "Bar" Gene — The Controversial Part
Both parents also carry the bar gene → makes plants tolerant to the herbicide glufosinate ammonium. Originally used to identify transformed plants during development and maintain genetic purity of hybrid seed. But critics argue: farmers will spray glufosinate on crops → environmental and health risks → superweeds.
Section 03 — Quick Reference
📋 DMH-11 — At a Glance
| Parameter | Details |
|---|
| Full Name | Dhara Mustard Hybrid-11 (DMH-11) |
| Developed By | Delhi University — Centre for Genetic Manipulation of Crop Plants (CGMCP), Prof. Deepak Pental. NOT IARI! |
| Funded By | National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) + Department of Biotechnology (DBT) + BIRAC |
| Species | Brassica juncea (Indian mustard) |
| Parents | Varuna (Indian variety, barnase line) × Early Heera-2 (East European variety, barstar line) |
| 3 Genes | Barnase (male sterility) + Barstar (fertility restoration) + Bar (herbicide tolerance) — all from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens |
| Yield Advantage | ~28% over Varuna (national check), ~37% over zonal checks (ICAR field trials 2010-15) |
| Development Time | 14 years, ~₹700 million investment |
| GEAC Status | Environmental clearance granted 25 October 2022 for seed production, testing, and field trials |
| Commercial Release | ON HOLD — SC split verdict (July 23, 2024). Referred to larger 3-judge bench. |
| If Approved | Would be India's first GM food crop for commercial cultivation (Bt cotton is non-food) |
⚠️ UPSC Exam Trap: GM Mustard was developed by Delhi University (Prof. Deepak Pental), NOT by IARI or Punjab Agricultural University. A 2024 UPSC statement said "GM mustard has been developed jointly by the IARI and Punjab Agricultural University" — this is INCORRECT.
Section 04 — Current Affairs
⚖️ Supreme Court Split Verdict (July 2024)
Justice B.V. Nagarathna — Against
Invalidated GEAC's approval. Cited: (1) GEAC didn't consider the Technical Expert Committee (TEC) report which said India's GMO regulatory system was in "complete disarray." (2) Public interest concerns not adequately addressed. (3) Procedural flaws in the approval process. (4) Directed Centre to formulate a national policy on GM crops.
Justice Sanjay Karol — In Favour
Upheld GEAC's approval. Cited: (1) Scientific evidence supports safety. (2) DMH-11 underwent rigorous testing over 14 years. (3) National interest — reducing edible oil import dependence. (4) GEAC is the competent technical authority; courts should not substitute scientific judgment.
📌 What happens now? Since it's a split verdict, the case will be heard by a larger 3-judge bench of the Supreme Court. Until then, commercial release of GM mustard remains on hold. The Court also asked the Centre to formulate a national policy on GM crops covering research, cultivation, trade, and commerce. The petitioners (activist Aruna Rodrigues and NGO "Gene Campaign") argued for a complete moratorium on all GM crop releases.
Section 05
⚠️ Concerns vs Arguments For
⚠️ Concerns Against
• Pollinators: Mustard is bee-pollinated. Barnase gene mutates flowering/pollen → may affect honeybee populations. India is a major honey producer.
• Herbicide tolerance (bar gene): Farmers may spray glufosinate → toxicity to soil, water, non-target species. Risk of creating herbicide-resistant superweeds.
• Novel proteins: Bar, barnase, barstar proteins were never part of human diet before → unknown long-term health effects.
• Labour displacement: Herbicide use replaces manual weeding → job losses for agricultural labourers.
• Contamination: GM genes could spread to non-GM mustard via cross-pollination → "irremediable and irreversible" contamination of seed stock.
✅ Arguments For
• Edible oil self-sufficiency: India imports 55%+ of edible oils (~₹1.4 lakh crore/year). DMH-11 could cut imports.
• Higher yield: 28% increase over Varuna → 3-3.5 tonnes/ha potential (vs current 1-1.3 tonnes).
• 20+ years of global safety: Barnase-barstar system used safely in rapeseed in Canada, US, Australia for over 2 decades.
• Expert committee: GEAC's expert panel concluded barnase-barstar is "unlikely to adversely affect bees and other pollinators."
• Not for herbicide spraying: Developer says bar gene is for seed purity identification, not intended for commercial herbicide use.
Section 06 — Practice
📝 UPSC-Style MCQs
Q1GM Mustard (DMH-11) has been developed by:
a) IARI and Punjab Agricultural University jointly
b) Centre for Genetic Manipulation of Crop Plants, Delhi University
c) ICMR in collaboration with Monsanto
d) National Dairy Development Board independently
DMH-11 was developed by Prof. Deepak Pental at the Centre for Genetic Manipulation of Crop Plants (CGMCP), Delhi University. NDDB and DBT provided funding, but development was entirely at DU. NOT IARI, NOT Punjab Agricultural University. Answer: (b).
Q2In the barnase-barstar system used in GM mustard:
1. Barnase gene induces male sterility by destroying the tapetum layer.
2. Barstar gene restores fertility in the F1 hybrid by blocking barnase.
3. Bar gene provides resistance to the herbicide glyphosate.
Which is/are correct?
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1, 2 and 3
d) 1 only
Statements 1 (barnase destroys tapetum → male sterility ✓) and 2 (barstar blocks barnase → fertility restored ✓) are correct. Statement 3 is wrong — the bar gene provides resistance to glufosinate ammonium, NOT glyphosate. Glyphosate resistance is from the Cp4-EPSPS gene (used in HtBt cotton). Different herbicide, different gene! Answer: (a).
Q3Consider the following about GM Mustard DMH-11:
1. If approved, it would be India's first GM food crop for commercial cultivation.
2. The three genes used come from Bacillus thuringiensis.
3. The Supreme Court has delivered a split verdict on its release.
Which is/are correct?
a) 1 and 3 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1, 2 and 3
d) 1 only
Statement 1 ✓ — Bt cotton is non-food; DMH-11 would be first GM food crop. Statement 2 ✗ — The three genes come from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, NOT B. thuringiensis (that's for Bt cotton Cry protein — different bacterium!). Statement 3 ✓ — SC split verdict July 23, 2024. Answer: (a).
Section 07
🧠 Memory Aid
🔑 Lock These In for Prelims Day
DMH-11
Dhara Mustard Hybrid-11. Delhi University (NOT IARI!). Prof. Deepak Pental. CGMCP. 14 years development.
PARENTS
Varuna (Indian, barnase line) × Early Heera-2 (East European, barstar line). Both Brassica juncea.
3 GENES
Barnase = male sterility. Barstar = restores fertility. Bar = herbicide tolerance (glufosinate, NOT glyphosate!). All from B. amyloliquefaciens (NOT B. thuringiensis!).
YIELD
~28% higher than Varuna. ~37% higher than zonal checks. Potential: 3-3.5 tonnes/ha (vs current 1-1.3).
STATUS
GEAC approved Oct 2022. SC split verdict July 2024. On hold — referred to 3-judge bench. Commercial release NOT permitted.
1st FOOD
If approved → India's first GM food crop. (Bt cotton = fibre crop, not food.)
OIL
India imports 55%+ edible oil. Mustard = 40% of domestic oil production. DMH-11 = edible oil self-sufficiency strategy.
BEES
Mustard = bee-pollinated. Key concern: impact on pollinators (honey production). GEAC expert panel says "unlikely to affect bees."
TRAPS
Developer = DU (NOT IARI). Herbicide = glufosinate (NOT glyphosate). Bacterium = B. amyloliquefaciens (NOT B. thuringiensis).
Section 08
❓ FAQs
Why can't we simply cross-breed mustard naturally?
Mustard (Brassica juncea) is a self-pollinating plant — its flowers pollinate themselves before they fully open. This makes natural cross-pollination extremely difficult. Without cross-pollination, you can't create hybrids that benefit from heterosis (hybrid vigour) — the phenomenon where F1 offspring are stronger and higher-yielding than either parent. The barnase-barstar system solves this by genetically forcing one parent to become male-sterile (unable to self-pollinate), making cross-pollination the only option. This is the same principle used in hybrid rice, but adapted for mustard using genetic engineering because no natural male-sterility system exists for Indian mustard.
Is the bar gene (herbicide tolerance) really necessary?
This is the most contested aspect of DMH-11. The developer (Prof. Pental) argues that the bar gene is NOT intended for farmers to spray herbicides — it was included as a selection marker during development (to identify which plants successfully received the transgene) and to maintain genetic purity of hybrid seed. However, critics argue: (1) Once the bar gene is in the plant, nothing prevents farmers from using glufosinate. (2) This would effectively make DMH-11 a Herbicide Tolerant (HT) crop — which the TEC recommended banning. (3) The gene could spread to wild relatives via pollen → creating herbicide-resistant superweeds. This debate was central to the SC proceedings.
What was the TEC report that the SC cited?
The Technical Expert Committee (TEC) was constituted by the Supreme Court in 2012 to examine India's GMO regulatory framework. The TEC found that India's GMO regulatory system was in "complete disarray" and recommended: (1) A moratorium on open field trials of HT crops. (2) Independent biosafety testing (not just by the developer). (3) Strengthening GEAC with independent experts. Justice Nagarathna cited the TEC report to argue that GEAC should not have approved DMH-11 without first addressing the systemic issues the TEC identified — particularly regarding HT crops.
Section 09
🏁 Conclusion
🌻 A Mustard Seed of Controversy
GM Mustard (DMH-11) sits at the intersection of India's most pressing policy dilemmas: food security vs environmental safety, scientific progress vs public trust, edible oil self-sufficiency vs pollinator protection, regulatory efficiency vs judicial oversight. After 14 years of development, GEAC approval, and a Supreme Court split verdict, India's first GM food crop remains in limbo.
The science behind DMH-11 — the barnase-barstar system for hybrid mustard — is well-established globally and has been used in rapeseed in Canada, the US, and Australia for over two decades without documented adverse effects. Yet the concerns are legitimate: the bar gene introduces herbicide tolerance that could be misused, mustard's bee-pollinated nature raises genuine pollinator risks, and India's regulatory framework for GMOs has been called "in complete disarray" by the Supreme Court's own expert committee.
For UPSC: Know the 3 genes (barnase/barstar/bar — all from B. amyloliquefaciens, NOT B. thuringiensis), developer (Delhi University, NOT IARI), parents (Varuna × Early Heera-2), GEAC clearance (Oct 2022), SC split verdict (July 2024), edible oil import crisis (55%+ imports), and the key exam traps (herbicide = glufosinate NOT glyphosate).
