Biotechnological Applications in Agriculture – Genetically modified organisms-Bt crops: NEET MCQs with Answers

15 free questions on Biotechnological Applications in Agriculture – Genetically modified organisms-Bt crops for NEET (UG), starting with previous-year NEET and AIPMT questions. Try each one, then tap Show answer for the answer and a short explanation.

Syllabus covered: Genetically modified organisms-Bt crops;

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Question 1

Previous-year question
The Bt cotton variety developed by the introduction of the toxin gene of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is resistant to [NEET 2020]
  1. Fungal diseases
  2. Plant nematodes
  3. Insect predators
  4. Insect pests
Show answer
Answer: (D) Insect pests
Explanation: Bt cotton produces the Cry protein that kills bollworms and other insect pests, so far less chemical insecticide is required; it gives no protection against fungi or nematodes.

Question 2

Previous-year question
What triggers the activation of protoxin to active Bt toxin of Bacillus thuringiensis in a boll worm? [NEET 2019]
  1. Body temperature
  2. Moist surface of midgut
  3. Alkaline pH of the gut
  4. Acidic pH of the stomach
Show answer
Answer: (C) Alkaline pH of the gut
Explanation: The alkaline gut environment of the bollworm dissolves the crystalline protoxin and converts it into the active toxin, which creates pores in the midgut cells.

Question 3

Previous-year question
Which of the following is true for Golden rice? [NEET 2019]
  1. It is vitamin A enriched, with a gene from daffodil.
  2. It is pest resistant, with a gene from Bacillus thuringiensis.
  3. It is drought tolerant, developed using an Agrobacterium vector.
  4. It has yellow grains because of a gene introduced from a primitive variety of rice.
Show answer
Answer: (A) It is vitamin A enriched, with a gene from daffodil.
Explanation: Golden rice was created by introducing the β-carotene biosynthetic genes, one of which came from daffodil (Narcissus), so the grain accumulates provitamin A.

Question 4

Previous-year question
Golden rice is a genetically modified crop plant in which the incorporated gene is meant for the biosynthesis of [AIPMT 2015]
  1. Vitamin C
  2. Omega 3
  3. Vitamin A
  4. Vitamin B
Show answer
Answer: (C) Vitamin A
Explanation: Genes from daffodil and a bacterium enable the rice endosperm to synthesise β-carotene, the precursor of vitamin A.

Question 5

Previous-year question
Crops engineered for glyphosate are resistant/tolerant to [AIPMT 2015]
  1. Bacteria
  2. Insects
  3. Herbicides
  4. Fungi
Show answer
Answer: (C) Herbicides
Explanation: Glyphosate is a broad-spectrum herbicide; crops engineered to tolerate it survive spraying while the weeds around them are killed.

Question 6

Previous-year question
In Bt cotton, the Bt toxin present in plant tissue as protoxin is converted into active toxin due to [AIPMT 2015]
  1. acidic pH of the insect gut
  2. action of gut micro-organisms
  3. presence of conversion factors in the insect gut
  4. alkaline pH of the insect gut
Show answer
Answer: (D) alkaline pH of the insect gut
Explanation: The alkaline pH of the insect midgut solubilises the crystal and activates the protoxin, which then binds to and lyses the midgut epithelial cells.

Question 7

Previous-year question
Pollen tablets are available in the market for [AIPMT 2014]
  1. in vitro fertilization
  2. breeding programmes
  3. supplementing food
  4. ex situ conservation
Show answer
Answer: (C) supplementing food
Explanation: Pollen is rich in proteins, minerals and vitamins, so pollen tablets are sold as food supplements said to improve performance and health.
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Question 8

Previous-year question
Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) strains have been used for designing novel [AIPMT 2005]
  1. biofertilisers
  2. bio-metallurgical techniques
  3. bio-mineralisation processes
  4. bioinsecticidal plants
Show answer
Answer: (D) bioinsecticidal plants
Explanation: Bacillus thuringiensis strains have been used for designing bio-insecticidal plants. A gene from this bacterium with insecticidal property is transferred to cotton plants to produce Bt cotton resistant to the bollworm; mutant strains similarly control pests of maize, cabbage and sunflower.

Question 9

Previous-year question
Cry I endotoxins obtained from Bacillus thuringiensis are effective against [AIPMT 2008]
  1. nematodes
  2. bollworms
  3. mosquitoes
  4. flies
Show answer
Answer: (B) bollworms
Explanation: Cry I endotoxin obtained from Bacillus thuringiensis is effective against bollworms. The proteins encoded by the genes cry IAc and cry II Ab control the cotton bollworms, while cry I Ab controls the corn borer.

Question 10

Previous-year question
The introduction of food plants developed by genetic engineering is regarded by some as undesirable because [AIPMT 2008]
  1. the economy of developing countries may suffer
  2. these products are less tasty as compared to the already existing products
  3. this method is costly
  4. there is a danger of introducing viruses and toxins with the introduced crop
Show answer
Answer: (A) the economy of developing countries may suffer
Explanation: It is difficult for developing countries to keep up with and maintain genetically engineered crops. Therefore the introduction of food plants by genetic engineering is regarded as not desirable for developing countries, whose economy may suffer.

Question 11

Previous-year question
A transgenic food crop which may help in solving the problem of night blindness in developing countries is [AIPMT 2008]
  1. Bt soyabean
  2. Golden rice
  3. Flavr Savr tomatoes
  4. Starlink maize
Show answer
Answer: (B) Golden rice
Explanation: Vitamin-A deficiency causes night blindness among children, particularly in areas where rice is a staple food, since rice grain does not contain β-carotene. Transgenes providing phytoene synthase, phytoene desaturase, beta-carotene desaturase and lycopene cyclase were transferred into rice by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation to give Golden rice.

Question 12

Previous-year question
The main objective of the production and use of herbicide-resistant GM crops is to [AIPMT 2008]
  1. encourage eco-friendly herbicides
  2. reduce herbicide accumulation in food articles for health safety
  3. eliminate weeds from the field without the use of manual labour
  4. eliminate weeds from the field without the use of herbicides
Show answer
Answer: (C) eliminate weeds from the field without the use of manual labour
Explanation: Herbicide-resistant plants continue to produce normal crop yield while remaining unaffected by herbicide sprayed in the field. This eliminates the weeds without the need for manual weeding labour, reducing the farmer’s cost and increasing yield.

Question 13

Previous-year question
What is true about the Bt toxin? [AIPMT 2009]
  1. Bt protein exists as an active toxin in the Bacillus
  2. The activated toxin enters the ovaries of the pest to sterilise it and thus prevent its multiplication
  3. The concerned Bacillus has antitoxins
  4. The inactive protoxin gets converted into the active form in the insect gut
Show answer
Answer: (D) The inactive protoxin gets converted into the active form in the insect gut
Explanation: The Bt toxin is secreted by Bacillus thuringiensis as an inactive protoxin. It requires an alkaline medium to become active, which is possible only in the insect gut; the toxin has been used as an insecticide spray and is commonly used in organic farming.

Question 14

Previous-year question
The bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis is widely used in contemporary biology as [AIPMT 2009]
  1. an insecticide
  2. an agent for production of dairy products
  3. a source of industrial enzyme
  4. an indicator of water pollution
Show answer
Answer: (A) an insecticide
Explanation: Bacillus thuringiensis is widely used as an insecticide because of its ability to produce insecticidal proteins that are toxic to specific insect pests.

Question 15

Previous-year question
What is antisense technology? [AIPMT 2009]
  1. When a piece of RNA that is complementary in sequence is used to stop the expression of a specific gene
  2. RNA polymerase producing DNA
  3. A cell displaying a foreign antigen used for synthesis of antigens
  4. Production of somaclonal variants in tissue cultures
Show answer
Answer: (A) When a piece of RNA that is complementary in sequence is used to stop the expression of a specific gene
Explanation: Antisense technology is a tool used for gene expression inhibition. An antisense nucleic acid sequence base-pairs with the complementary sense RNA strand, and this pairing prevents the RNA from being translated into a protein.

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