Biotechnological Applications In Agriculture

Genetic modification has been used to create crops that tolerate abiotic stresses, which are non-living environmental adversities such as cold, drought, salt and heat, as outlined in NCERT Class 12, Chapter 11 (Biotechnology and its Applications). Improving tolerance to these conditions allows cultivation in marginal soils and harsh climates, helping to secure food production where conventional varieties would fail. The option referring only to bright sunlight is far too narrow and does not represent the range of abiotic stresses described. Resistance to insect attack is an example of biotic stress tolerance, which is a separate category from abiotic stress and so is incorrect here. Protection against fungal infection is again a biotic stress response and does not match the abiotic stresses specified in the question. Engineering abiotic stress tolerance is especially valuable in the face of climate variability and the spread of saline or arid soils, where it can extend cultivation into land previously considered unsuitable for farming. A consistency check supports the answer: abiotic stresses are by definition caused by physical and chemical factors, and the grouping of cold, drought, salt and heat correctly captures these non-living challenges that GM crops are engineered to withstand.