Vol. 11, Issue 5 (2022)

Author(s):
Patel PT, Desai TA, Virdiya YA and Kugashiya KG

Abstract:
A Genetically Modified organism is an animal, plant or microbe whose DNA has been altered using genetic engineering techniques. In the recent era genetically modified crops are widely use in cultivation. GMO contains genes from different sources like animals, microbes or different plant species and they are not present in recipient crop in nature before. Genetic pollution occur due the unintentional process of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) dispersing their genes into the natural environment by breeding with wild and conventional plants. The process of dispersing gene in nature is called gene escape because it happens unintentionally. Worldwide the evidences of transgene escape have been found in cotton, maize, soybean, oilseed rape, rice, and wheat etc. Cross pollinated crops are spread their pollens to long distance from their sources and pollinate their wild forms or wild relatives. Most cases are due to pollen mediated gene transfer in related species of same crop. Genetic pollution affect on our natural eco-system as well as non GM crops and traditional cultivars. Many measures to avoid transgenic escape are available like isolation distance, GM free zones and many biotechnological approaches. This approaches are essential to save our conventional lines, wild relatives, wild forms and germplasm.