Kameswara Rao asked:




Maharashtra Hybrid Seed Company (Mahyco) sought the permission of the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) of India, for large-scale open field trials of eight Bt brinjal hybrids. This threw the anti-tech activists in India into a tizzy. ‘Position papers on Bt brinjal’, spiced with a lot of pseudo-science have been widely circulated, demanding GEAC’s ban of all transgenics in India. The GEAC placed the biosecurity data provided by Mahyco on their website for public comment. The propaganda machinery has now drafted, anti-GE experts/scientists from the US, UK and New Zealand.

Brinjal (aubergine, egg plant, Solanum melongena) is a vegetable in Asia and Europe. The original Persian/Arabic name al-bAdhinjAn, gave rise to, a) with the al, the French name ‘aubergine’ derived from Catalan albergínia, and b) without the al, the Portuguese berinjela, and the Spanish berenjena, which became brinjal in Indian and Sri Lankan English. The samskrith name vatinganah, produced baingan in Hindi, van(g)kayi in Telugu (-kayi is raw fruit), badanekaryi in Kannada and similar names in Indian languages.

Centres of Origin of cultivated plants are determined on a variety of circumstantial evidence, especially on the number and diversity of related wild species. In most cases there is hardly any sound scientific proof for the conclusions drawn.

Overall evidence strongly suggests that South America was the Centre of Origin of the species of the genus Solanum, to which both potato (Solanum tuberosum) and brinjal belong.

The exact origin of Solanum melongena is uncertain. It probably originated from the African wild species Solanum incanum. Solanum melongena was first domesticated in Southeast China, and taken to the Mediterranean region during the Arab conquests in the 7th century. If brinjal was mentioned in ancient Indian literature, it only indicates that it was naturalized, having been introduced into India, a long time ago and this in itself is not an evidence of its origin in India.

Centres of Diversity are determined on the basis of the number and diversity of related species or varieties in the wild. The fundamental criterion of relationship is that two or more species or varieties freely interbreed producing fertile offspring. The number and diversity of cultivated varieties of a crop species in a country is not the basis to determine origin and diversity, as developing such varieties is an essentially human activity.

A decade or so ago, considerations of origin and diversity were of some significance in crop plant breeding, to aid the choice of species/varieties with desirable genes and to produce fertile hybrids with the cultivated varieties of the related crops. With several techniques of molecular biology and genetic engineering available now, the relevance of theoretical and academic inferences on the Centres of Origin and Diversity has diminished considerably.

Several species of Solanum occur in the wild in India. Cytogeneticists have artificially produced interspecific hybrids of species of Solanum. It was not so difficult to produce first generation hybrids, which generally suffered from chromosomal instability and pollen sterility, hardly resulting in any fertile hybrids.

Random Amplification of Polymorphic DNA analysis (RAPD, a technique in genome comparisons) shows that Solanum incanum and then Solanum viarum are the closest to Solanum melongena. Solanum incanum and Solanum viarum occur infrequently in the wild in India, but are hardly sympatric and panmictic with the cultivated varieties. When artificial hybrids were produced, the progeny were sterile, leaving no chances for gene flow among these related species.

In nature, species of Solanum do not normally hybridize, as they are predominantly (over 90 per cent) self-pollinated. Anthers that open by small apical pores are the characteristic feature of the genus Solanum, unlike in many other plant species where the anthers open dehiscing longitudinally to fully expose the pollen to the air and pollinators. Solanum pollen are sticky and do not travel long distances, even if they become airborne. Insects visit Solanum flowers but their role in pollination is insignificant.

There are many cultivated varieties of brinjal in India, some of which are restricted to specific regions, as for example the ‘Udupi gulla’ variety of Mangalore. Wild species of Solanum and several cultivated varieties of brinjals co-exist. However, farmers and scientists are not aware of any hybrids between the two groups and no effort is made to protect different varieties of cultivated brinjals from hybridizing among themselves or with the wild Solanums.

The floral structure and the reproductive biology of brinjals and experience in cultivating them for several centuries in India, do not suggest any possibility of gene flow from transgenic brinjals to normal brinjals.

The biosecurity of Bt insecticidal proteins in transgenic crops is thoroughly assured by evidence on the use of Bt pesticides for over 60 years and the cultivation and consumption of Bt transgenics for a decade. None of the extensive studies on the safety of Bt proteins conducted in various countries has indicated any possibility of their being harmful to animals and humans or the environment.

Cry 1 Ac is toxic only under specific conditions. It is non-toxic to all organisms with an acidic stomach and with no binding sites for the crystal protein, which includes all mammals and non-target organisms.
Brinjal fruits are not toxic to mammals. But, all the other parts of the brinjal palnt are toxic, due to several alkaloids. Cattle are not deliberately fed on brinjal plants. Grown under water scarcity, even the fruit accumulates alkaloids and phenolic compounds, which give a bitter taste and make the fruit inedible.
Scientific evidence does not indicate any possibility of Bt brinjals posing serious or unmanageable risks to the farmers, consumers or the environment.

Genetic Assessment

Dee Gerrish asked:


Goldendoodle and other dog facts

 



When it comes to Goldendoodles, they are a dog that is now the most loved, adored and also the most misunderstood canine of all. For instance, did you know that there are 701 pure breed dogs and that the Border collie, Poodle and Golden retriever are claimed to be the smartest of dogs? I do not know why just these three breeds were listed because I am sure there are other smart breeds of dogs out there and the person behind the poll definitly didn’t include the Goldendoodle! Fact 1: The Goldendoodle dog is highly intelligent.

Goldendoodle dogs also have a superior sense of hearing and smell, but of course when it comes to documented evidence, the bloodhound is so trustworthy that it is the only dog whose evidence is admissible even in court of law in the United States! There are alot of Goldendoodle as well as other dog facts are very interesting. For instance, it is claimed that the Great Dane is the tallest of all dogs, while the Chihuahua is the smallest dog of all. But are they really? As a breeder of Goldendoodles since 1999, I know for a fact that one Goldendoodle we created some years ago turned into a 150 pound “small pony” ! And while it is claimed that the Chihuahua is the smallest dog, we own a tcup sized LhasaPoo (a different type of hybrid dog) who weighs three pounds or less and I’ve heard of some tcup Yorkies as well as Tcup Poodles weighing even less!

Goldendoodle dogs are usually very attached to their families. Some are even heroically so. Goldendoodles can even take care of their invalid or handicapped family members on a daily basis, if properly trained. Over the years, we’ve had some of our past customers train their Goldendoodle dogs as therapy dogs or assist dogs. Many rescue organizations and policing organizations use Golden Retrievers as well as other types of dogs as a part of their regular team. Some Golden Retrievers are used as narcotic dogs. While it is doubtful that a Goldendoodle can be used as a guard dog, I see no reason why they could not be trained as hunters, draught animals, drug and explosive detectors, and even as a dog who seeks out weapons.

In the Middle Ages, dogs wore spiky light armors and ran into the battle grounds to attack mounted knights. The Rottweiler was one such breed used in medieval battles. The German Shepherd dog has been used in the field with every day soldiers for many centuries. There are many fun facts regarding all dog types, but the Goldendoodle dog has not been around long enough to have a lot of facts written about them. The Goldendoodle dog was first known as a “Goldendoodle” sometime around 1997. This hybrid was first created by the Australians who were looking for a low shedding, low dander assist dog for those who had allergies. Goldendoodles in Australia are used for other purposes and make wonderful family pets for children of all ages. There are only three coat types for the Goldendoodle dog.

1. Shaggy.

2. Curly.

3. Smooth.

The Goldendoodle does not have any rare colors and actually can have markings anywhere on its body, of any color. The Goldendoodle dog also can have various eye colors such as brown, blue, green or multi colors. Since beginning our Goldendoodles in 1999, we have seen some Goldendoodles born with one green eye and one blue eyes or one brown eye and one blue eye. In 2010 we hope to create Duetche Kurzharr Doodles which is a German Shorthaired Pointer mixed with a Goldendoodle. Since we do have a sire with blue eyes and our German Shorthaired Pointer has lovely amber colored eyes and multiple freckles, we hope that we will see offspring coming out with not just lovely light colored eyes, but with spots and freckles. The German Shorthaired Pointer is extremely intelligent! Our own girl, Merry-Belle, is fascinated with squeeky toys and carries them all over the house. She loves to have someone hold a ball up in the air and anxiously awaits it to be tossed in her direction so that she can jump high up in the air to catch it.

Before purchasing any type of dog, you should attempt to learn all the important facts that pertain to the breed you wish to own. Many families make the mistake and hurry up to get a dog because their children have been insisting on having one. Many parents buckle under pressure. But the problem is, people who purchase a Goldendoodle under the assumption of knowing the facts, find out that the dog isn’t for them. Sure enough, after the dog arrives home and the initial excitement has quieted down, the chore of actually taking care of the dog and molding its character begins. This is when the honeymoon is over and when most families realize that their Goldendoodle is really a bundle of work, like all dogs!

Children find out that the dog can’t just let itself out to use the bathroom and many will gripe about having to constantly take their new dog out for bathroom breaks. Most of the chores of caring for a Goldendoodle or any dog for that matter usually falls to the parents after a few days. A puppy is cuddly and sweet until it poops or pees on the floor or has to be supervised at all times or when it howls and howls for attention from its human family. The Goldendoodle dog has become the most popular of hybrids because other dogs with long and short hair, shed profusely. Many people who buy a Goldendoodle are told by their breeder that the dog doesn’t EVER shed and that they are “hypoallergenic”. Imagine the family’s horror when they realize that indeed their Goldendoodle dog sheds and not only does it shed, but it needs constant, regular care! This is just one example of how some doodle breeders try and use the “non shedding”, “Hypoallergenic” key words to bring in a customer. An inexperienced breeder can lead someone to buy a Goldendoodle dog for the wrong reasons. Since 1999, we as breeders have watched the Goldendoodle hybrid go through 10-15 different coat changes. We know for a fact that the Goldendoodle dog does indeed shed. BUT, they shed like no other dog we’ve ever seen.

The Goldendoodle will lose a strand or two of hairs and not gobs of hair or clumps of hair. Unless your Goldendoodle has a hormonal imbalance, his or her coat is not going to just completely fall out. Unlike a dog with a double coat, the Goldendoodle dog has a single coat and sheds very, very little. As the Goldendoodle dog changes from a puppy to an adult, there will be coat changes and you may see its coat do the most shedding during this “growing up” phase. When the Goldendoodle dog turns a year of age, their owners will see the least shedding.

Goldendoodle facts become very important if you really want to understand your doodle. Knowing as much about your doodle dog will also help you with training. Some dogs are quick to learn, while others need more time. Regardless of breed, dogs are individuals and training needs to be specifically geared toward the individual dog itself and not by breed type or generalization. Just as human have their own unique way of responding to learning things, dogs are the same way. They are individuals just like we humans are. Most dogs respond well to rewards and praise, while a few breeds need firm commands and rigorous discipline. Goldendoodles do not learn well with negative training. Positive reinforcement works very well for getting your Goldendoodle to comply and respond to training commands. Some dogs like the Dalmatian, need a lot of exercise and are not very suitable to small living quarters, while others like the Poodle have a lot of grooming requirements. Shaggy and curly coat Goldendoodles have a high grooming requirement. All Goldendoodles, regardless of size, would do well indoors so long as he or she is taken for daily walks. Goldendoodles enjoy being where ever their human family members are. They are happy to run beside you if you are jogging or on your bicycle and they are just as happy to sleep at your feet if you are sitting down watching television. Goldendoodle dogs are snugglers. They usually are not independant dogs. They can become lonely if left for long periods of time without human companionship. Depending upon coat type, some Goldendoodles can tend to be barkers or high drive. It has been our own experience that the shaggy coat and smooth coat Goldendoodle has the best temperaments of all three coat types. The curly coat Goldendoodle can tend to pick up some of the quirkly traits of the Poodle. Those experienced with the Golden Retriever will want to stick with either the shaggy coat or the smooth coat Goldendoodle. Those experienced with the Poodle will want to stick with the curly coat Goldendoodle.

Many people believe that certain dogs inherit certain disorders like hip dysplasia and cataract based on breed type. Many people believe that some breeds are prone to getting fat if they are not exercised regularly. Genetic ailments can happen to any type of dog regardless of their breed and all dogs can become fat and lazy if they are over-fed and are lacking in exercise. Dogs who are inbred or backbred or come from a genetic bottle neck (lacking in a wide genetic gene pool) will be at a higher risk for having genetic ailments. Age also plays a direct role with health issues in dogs. It is not known why some dogs die from health issues and others can go through their entire lives not ever having a health issue. Just as people die from various types of health issues or just simply pass away in their sleep, dogs are very similar in this way. Goldendoodles who come from a first generation breeding seem to be the hardiest of dogs. Goldendoodles can be a long lived dog under ideal circumstances just as the Poodle is the longest lived dog of all dogs.

One of the most important dog facts most overlooked by many is that every purebred has been originally created with a particular purpose in mind. While the Lhasa Apso was originally created as a palace guard dog, the Poodle was used for multiple purposes such as retrieving, swimming and just being a companion. The German Shorthaired Pointer makes a wonderful gun dog and many Rottweilers and German Shepherds or Doberman Pinschers make excellent guard dogs. Depending upon the history and lineage of your Goldendoodle, he or she may have a wonderful compilation of traits that would be suited for multiple tasks or would simply just make a wonderful house pet.

If you expect a breed of dog to completely forfeit its inherent tendencies and don a new mantle, you are asking for trouble. Never expect a Goldendoodle to guard you or your possessions and don’t be surprised if your Pit Bull bristles with anger and ultimately attacks a stranger. Some traits are deeply rooted and instilled in particular breed types. With our own Goldendoodles, we do know that their lineage holds multiple companion dogs, Utility dogs, show dogs, Master Hunters as well as having a deeply rooted love for playing in the water. Training your Goldendoodle or entering them into obedience classes can help you to bring some discipline to your doodle as well as even enhance their natural tendencies. Training does not replace them.

Anyone deciding to purchase a shaggy or curly coat Goldendoodle must also need to learn basics in grooming unless you are going to have someone else groom the doodle. Being knowledgeable about the Goldendoodle will help you become a better doodle owner. Goldendoodles can participate in fun competition dog trials, even fun dog shows. Their are other important dog facts which also include a need to know such information like neutering, spaying, vaccinating and de-worming your doodle at regular intervals. You will want to have your vet place your Goldendoodle on a vaccination and deworming schedule and let your vet get to know your dog. It is also very important to know that owning a Goldendoodle as with any other type of dog can be expensive. Know before you buy, that you can afford the upkeep that your doodle will require.

In a nutshell, knowing your doodle facts will help you, the new doodle owner, to truly appreciate your Goldendoodle’s uniqueness and will allow your doodle to happily spend its entire life with you.

**Author/breeder: Dee Gerrish @2009.

**About the Author: Dee Gerrish as been a private, professional hobby breeder since 1996. Dee Gerrish has written extensively about the Goldendoodle dog since 1999. Visit her site at