Which of the following is true for Golden rice?
(a) It has yellow grains, because of a gene introduced from a primitive variety of rice.
(b) It is vitamin A enriched, with a gene from daffodil.
(c) It is pest resistant, with a gene from Bacillus thuringiensis.
(d) It is drought tolerant, developed using Agrobacterium vector.
Answer (b) : Rice is a staple food in many countries, particularly in Asia, but does not contain vitamin A or its immediate precursors. By inserting two genes from daffodil and one gene from a bacterial species into rice plants, Swiss researchers have produced rice capable of synthesising b-carotene, the precursor of vitamin A. Vitamin A is required by all individuals as it is present in retina of eyes. Deficiency of vitamin A causes night blindness and skin disorders. This rice is called ‘Golden rice’ because of yellow colour of rice grains due to the presence of b-carotene.
