The new genetically
modified potato offers rich nutritional quality with improved
yields. The field testing of the GM variety by the National
Centre for Plants Genome Research (NCPGR) and the Central Potato
Research Institute indicates improvement in protein content
and tuber yield. Food quality profile and protein content as
well as amino acid profile of total proteins of the GM tubers
is being compared with those of non-GM controls. They are also
being tested for any toxicity or allergicity. The data on these
characters of AMAI+ potato varieties is expected to be available
soon.
The NCPGR and CPRI,
which have taken permission from the Review Committee on Genetic
Manipulation (RCGM) for field testing, would be reporting the
results of the comparative analysis to the RCGM. If all goes
well, they will need the permission of the Genetic Engineering
Approval Committee (GEAC) to conduct demonstration-cum-multiplication
trials in the fields of farmers.
The GM potatoes
will be vegetables with superior nutritional quality if AMAI+
protein characters are present in the tubers. Pharmacological
analysis is also in progress on the AMAI+ and parental potatoes.
To improve the
protein quality of potato tubers, an expert group at the NCPGR
selected, "A. hypochondriacus" seeds protein called AMAI+ to
be expressed and accumulated in potato tubers. Towards this
end, the group cloned the AMAI+ gene from "Ram Dana" or "Chaulai"
and transferred it to potato cells, to regenerate AMAI+ potato
clones of traditional Indian commercial varieties of potato.
The GM potatoes were found to stably inherit and express AMAI+
gene over cloned generations, proving to be a model for similar
attempts on major starch-rich food crops like rice, sweet-potato
and cassava.
