ABSTRACT
The advent of the green revolution, which was based on conventional breeding, has undoubtedly increased the crops’ production and nutrition value, and played a crucial role in feeding the current population. However, tracing the population increase and decreasing arable land shows that this is the perfect time to adopt a faster breeding technology based on selecting and incorporating desirable genes. Genetically modified crops (GM crops) produce a superior cultivar at the same time, reducing the time and cost of breeding, increasing the nutritional value and resistance against pest and diseases. Hence, undoubtedly decreasing the cost-benefit ratio and increasing production per unit of area. The GM crops’ potential to mitigate future needs has been successfully proven in Indian cotton and Australian canola. The GM seed market currently has approx. 8.7% CAGR. But at the same time, controversies like the Seralini affair and Monarch butterflies decline are continuously questioning the biosafety of these crops as these crops may lead to the evolution of new potential pest-pathogen weed strains, which may produce more severe threat than the presently available ones. GM crops may produce severe allergens or some severe health issues to human populations. Hence, both the scientific community and 24governmental regulatory bodies should determine these crops’ biosafety by keeping an eye on the environment and human health before releasing them for commercial cultivation.
