In India, genetically modified or transgenic crops are still creating a scare and are talked of as manipulations of a few multinational companies. Experts like Prof MS Swamianthan say that biotechnolgy and transgenics offer an opportunity to meet the increasing food needs of the country. But they also call attention to the possible risk factors, an oft-repeated dictum of Prof Swaminathan is that ``We have to go fast in research and slow in application of genetically modified crops''.

The Indian agriculture scientists are of the view, that India has to develop its own GM crops and several Indian private and public sector institutons, have been doing research in this new branch of life sciences with considerable success.

Indian public sector institutions are doing transgenic researches in rice, tobacco, mustard, potato, tomato, brinjal, cauliflower and cabbage.Transgenic research in rice is being conducted by Bose Institute Calcutta, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, Delhi University, and Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), sub-station Shillong.

The Bose Institute is working with Bt toxin genes to generate plants, resistant to lepidopteran pests. It is ready to undertake green house testing. IARI, Shillong also is doing similar research and transformation is in progress. TNAU focus is on reporter genes to study the extent of transformation. Delhi university studies on selectable marker genes.

Tata Energy Research Institute, Delhi, Monsanto and Michigan State Univeristy are to collaborate in the adoption and transfer of technology, to develop a golden mustard that will yield cooking oil high in beta-carotene with financial assitance from USAID.

The Central Tobacco Research Institute, Rajahmundri, is doing researches with Bt toxin gene to generate plants resistant to two specifc pests. One round of contained field trial, has been completed and further evaluation is in progress. It is ready to undertake green house trials.

Jawaharlal Nehru University, also is into transgenic research on potato with seed protein containing lysine, obtained from seeds of Amaranthus plants. Transformation is completed and transgenic potato is under evaluation.IARI, New Delhi is in a very advanced stage of research and application of Bt gene in brinjal, tomato and cauliflower to impart lepidopteran pests resistance. Transforamtion and green-house trials are completed for all the three. Meanwhile field evaluation is completed for brinjal and tomato.

The institute also has completed the transformation and greenhouse trials of mustard, modified with arabidopsis annexin gene. It is ready for field trials for moisture stress resistance.

The Chennai-based MS Swaminathan Research Foundation is developing salt-resistant paddy, with a gene obtained from a mangrove plant in the coastal belt of Tamil Nadu.

The Department of Biotechnology and Swiss reserchers are reported to be trying to reach an agreement, that would allow Indian agriculture scientists to insert the `golden rice' gene sequences into popular Indian varieties of rice.

In the private sector Mahyco, Rallis India and Proagro PGS (India) Ltd are engaged in the development of transgenic crops. Novartis is expected to join them very soon.

Mumbai-based Mahyco, in collaboration with Monsanto, has completed multicentric field trials of pest resistant cotton in over 40 locations. Contained field trials are in progress.

Rallis India Ltd. is doing researches into the introduction of lectin gene in chilli, bell pepper and tomato. The target is resistance against lepidopteran, coleopteran and homopteran pests. Transforamtion experiments are in progress in all the three vegetables.

Proagro is working on mustasrd, tomato and brinjal. For mustard the plan is to develop better hybrid cultivars, suitable for local conditions. Contained field trials have been completed in 15 locations. Contained open-field research trials are in progress at several locations.

Research for pest resistance tomato also has made good progress. Glass house experiments, and one season contained filed experiment completed. With regard to brinjal, glass house experiments are in progess.