**Chapter 8 145**

Biosafety Aspects of Genetically Modified Crops *by Ashutosh Kumar, Banshidhar, Priyanka Jaiswal and Harmeet Singh Janeja*

## **Chapter 9 151**

GM Crops: The West versus the Rest *by Jennifer Thomson*

Preface

As the global debate and controversy continue to rage around genetically modified crops (GM crops), and various reasons are proffered for public concerns about these crops, the science is stepping up to the plate to help address some of these concerns. The book contains nine chapters that speak to the development and utility of these crops. In particular, it discusses the root and tuber crops, cassava (*Manihot esculenta* Crantz), sweet potato (*Ipomoer batatas*), and yams (*Dioscorea* spp.), as well as ginger and oilseed crops including *Jatropha*. The book also discusses in detail the use of plants to develop pharmaceuticals. Moreover, it examines the biosafety regulation of these crops, including regulatory frameworks form Australia and India, and differences in perceptions between the West and the rest of the world to

Chapter 1 outlines the biology of candidate oilseed crops and the genetic modification and genome editing approaches used for overall improvement of oils and their profiles. Furthermore, these approaches are geared towards addressing the evergrowing demand for oil-based products in human diets as well as health, pharmaceutical, and other industrial applications. The improved yields and healthier profiles also help address this growing demand without necessarily increasing the area/land under cultivation. This is a welcome development given that globally the amount of arable land is decreasing, while the demand to feed an ever-growing population is increasing. This demand also speaks to newer ways of farming with less water used per unit area. The chapter also refers to the utility of *Jatropha* as a resource for biofuels. Its diverse attributes make it an attractive crop for genetic improvement and industrial application as well. The range and choice of oilseed crops discussed in this chapter are representative of the desired product range and various applications.

Chapter 2 speaks on the latest developments in molecular breeding and gene

manipulation for the three species of cassava (*Manihot esculenta* Crantz), sweet potato (*Ipomoer batatas*), and yams (*Dioscorea* spp.). The authors also delve into the future prospects of increasing efficiencies and broadening the repertoire of new and existing selectable marker genes. The chapter also covers the applications and potential benefits of genetic modification in breeding selected outcrossing root and tuber crops, thus circumventing the challenges faced by breeders using conventional breeding approaches.

Chapter 3 deals with the development of recombinant proteins in plants. This is a rapidly growing area recognized for its product safety, cost-effectiveness, scalability, diversity, and numerous ways to rapidly produce recombinant proteins. Plant systems have significant advantages and out-compete both animal and yeast recombinant protein production systems. They are amenable to large-scale production of biomolecules such as antibodies and therapeutic proteins. Molecular pharming with transgenic plant systems has added advantages over other production systems that are fraught with contamination challenges. These systems are equally adept at posttranslational modifications such as glycosylation, and the product can be stored in

user-friendly forms such as seeds and leaves, among other forms of tissue.

Chapter 4 is on generating cisgenic plants using original or sequences from related species to generate marker-free plants, which is fast becoming a reality. The chapter

strategies for removing selectable marker genes.
