Q.Name any genetically modified crop.

Genetically modified crops are plants whose DNA has been altered using genetic engineering techniques to introduce desirable traits such as pest resistance, herbicide tolerance, or improved nutritional content. These modifications allow crops to perform better under specific agricultural conditions or provide enhanced benefits to consumers.

One well-known example is Bt cotton. This crop has been genetically modified to produce a protein from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), which is toxic to certain insect pests like bollworms. When these pests feed on Bt cotton plants, they ingest the toxin and die, reducing the need for chemical pesticides. Bt cotton has been widely adopted in India and has significantly improved cotton yields while lowering cultivation costs.

Other examples include: …

Genetic modification in agriculture represents one of the most significant applications of biotechnology in the modern world. Scientists insert specific genes from one organism into a crop plant to give it desirable traits — pest resistance, herbicide tolerance, improved nutrition, or better shelf life. These genetically modified (GM) crops have transformed farming in many countries, though they remain subjects of intense debate regarding safety, environmental impact, and economic consequences for farmers.

Bt cotton stands as the most prominent example of a genetically modified crop, particularly relevant in the Indian context. The "Bt" refers to Bacillus thuringiensis, a soil bacterium that naturally produces crystal proteins toxic to certain insects. Scientists isolated the gene responsible for this toxin and introduced it into cotton plants. The resulting GM cotton produces the Bt toxin in its tissues, making the plant itself lethal to bollworms — the caterpillar larvae that have historically devastated cotton crops by boring into the bolls and destroying the fiber.

India approved Bt cotton for commercial cultivation in 2002, and it rapidly became the dominant cotton variety across the country. Farmers adopted it enthusiastically because it promised reduced pesticide use and higher yields. The built-in pest protection meant fewer chemical sprays, lower costs, and less exposure to toxic substances for farm workers. …

A different angle: start from the desired agricultural trait and work backward to the gene/organism supplying it, instead of naming a crop from memory.

Ask: what problem does a farmer growing cotton commonly face? Bollworm attack, which destroys yield. What kind of gene would solve that? A gene encoding a protein toxic specifically to the pest's larval gut, but harmless to humans and other animals. Where would such a gene naturally exist? In a soil bacterium already known to kill insect larvae — Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), whose crystal (Cry) protein genes are e …