Quite a few private sector companies too are said to be seriously working on their own `terminator' gene technology.

Genetic engineering based research, commonly known as research in `transgenic' gene, is aimed at improving the overall productivity of agro crops. The terminator gene is a logical extension and conclusion of this technology and is therefore, being conducted in majority of agro-based economies.

Interestingly, last week there was a complete turnaround in the whole perception towards the hitherto controversial `terminator' gene technology among Indian speakers at the recently concluded Indian Science Congress at Chennai (January 3-8). Against the earlier mood of opposition from all concerned with agro- and biotech research, the tone among the speakers was one of a welcome. What was despised by majority of the participants was theeffort of multinationals to monopolise the market of transgenic seeds by patenting their research.

One common note that emerged from the seminar was that India needs to continue its transgenic research, but with enforceable biosafety and bio ethic standards. This is because uncontrollable freaks could develop that could damage crops in the adjoining regions not cultivated by `transgenic' seeds.

In India, the transgenic seeds and therefore, even the `terminator' gene research is being conducted under the common umbrella of `hybridoma' technology. Majority of the agriculture research institutes conducting the `terminator' gene research are funded by none other than the Department of Biotechnology (directly under the ministry of science and technology). Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR) co-ordinates and sometimes helps DBT to fund these research projects.

The fruits of these research conducted for various crops, when offered, will help Indian farmers grow their own `tailor-made' crops,including those that do not germinate for getting second crop through the seeds of the first one that bear the hitherto controversial gene called `terminator' gene.

According to informed biotech source the list of state-funded research institutes include names like: Indian Agriculture Research Institute, New Delhi; Agriculture University, Hissar (Haryana), Punjab Agriculture University (Ludhiana); Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Mumbai; Indian Institute of Science (Bangalore); Sugarcane Breeding Centre (Coimbatore) Indian Research Institute, Pantnagar (Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh); Indian Council and Research Institute for Semi Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Hyderabad (own funding from international sources); University of Delhi (South Delhi Campus) and National Botanical Research Institute (Lucknow).

The list of private sector companies engaged in the transgeneic research leading to `terminator' gene include: Indo-American Hybrid Seeds (Bangalore); Zandu Pharmaceuticals; Cipla (Bangalore research centre); AVThomas (Bangalore) and above all Maharashtra Hybrid Seeds Company (MAHYCO, wherein US biotech giant Monsanto holds 26 per cent).

Interestingly, because of the negative publicity that the `terminator' gene technology has been receiving since more than past couple of months, scientists at these institutes are hesitant to openly get associated with the controversial name.

Says Dr Sudhir Bhatnekar of Biotech Resource Centre: It's no secret that development of transgenic seeds logically leads to the development of terminator gene. And for India there's no other way but to welcome the emergence of such a research. But it would be better if it develops its own technology for our farmers, for such seeds, with terminator gene inside them, yield good crop and helps improve the economic conditions for the farmers."

Says Dr PS Rao of BARC: Indian scientists do have the expertise to develop their own transgenic technology that would help farmers grow their own `tailor-made crops.

At various research institutes,the `terminator gene' technology is in the incipient stage and at others it could be developed but for various reasons they have not put it into practice".

Dr Rao, a director on Mahyco's board, has authored number of articles, the latest being `Role of Biotechnology in Agriculture'. However, Dr Rao did not want to say whether or not BARC has its own `terminator' gene technology.According to Rao, the `terminator' gene in the USA "is very much a reality and is not at a conceptual stage as is being made out to be. Delta & Pine Land has successfully experimented with the technology and only then was it able to get it patented from the US Patent office.

The company may or may not be takenover by Monsanto, but Monsanto does have access to this technology."

The DBT had as early as 1994-95 initiated a research project aimed at `Developing Transgenic Cotton Variety With Induced Resistance to Bollworm'. It had funded as many six research institutes, but they have not been successful in developing thistechnology. Monsanto, after years of research has been successful in developing this technology and got it patented under the name of `BollGard' in countries like the USA, Argentina, Brazil, China and Australia. However, `Bollgard' transgenic seeds helps fight the bollwarm disease in cotton and are totally different `terminator' gene which prevents the germination of seeds for the second crop.

In India, we have our own `terminator' genes for crops like seedless grapes for example. A section of scientists are said to be now working on development of `seedless watermelon' as well. "The whole idea in all this is to let grow only the pulp portion of the seed and not another seed," says Dr Rao. This is nothing but another form of `terminator' gene technology where no seeds are germinated from crop of such seeds.

Little wonder then, that Monsanto (India) newly appointed chief Terry J Bunn had in an interview with The Financial Express had said: India has to decide whether it wants to have its owntechnology on transgenic seeds and wait till it could be put to commercial application, or join the global race by accepting the technology from the developed world."

Lastly, about 45 countries globally have conducted 25,000 field trials on transgenic crops from 1986 to 1997 involving more than 60 crops including corn, tomato, potato, soyabean, cotton , melon, canola, sugar beet and tobacco.