Biotechnological Applications In Agriculture

The Flavr Savr tomato holds the distinction of being the first genetically engineered food crop approved for commercial sale, developed by silencing the gene responsible for producing the enzyme polygalacturonase that softens ripening fruit, a topic associated with NCERT Class 12, Chapter 11 (Biotechnology and its Applications). By delaying softening, the tomato could remain firm and saleable for a longer period, reducing spoilage during transport and storage. Bt brinjal is an insect-resistant crop developed using Cry proteins and was not the first commercialised GM food. Golden Rice is engineered for beta-carotene enrichment to address vitamin A deficiency and represents a nutritional, not a shelf-life, modification. Starlink maize was a Bt insect-resistant corn variety linked to controversy over human consumption approval, again not the pioneer GM food crop. The Flavr Savr is historically important because its approval demonstrated that a genetically engineered whole food could pass regulatory review and reach consumers, opening the way for later GM foods. Its trait was achieved through an antisense approach that blocked the softening enzyme rather than by adding a foreign toxin gene. A consistency check confirms the answer: the question specifically points to delayed ripening and extended shelf life, which is the hallmark trait of the Flavr Savr tomato.