Bt brinjal seeds. Bt brinjal The Bt brinjal is a suite of transgenic brinjals (also known as an eggplant or aubergine) created by inserting a crystal protein gene ("Cry1Ac") from the soil bacterium "Bacillus thuringiensis" into the genome of various brinjal cultivars. The insertion of the gene, along with other genetic elements such as promoters, terminators and an antibiotic resistance marker gene into the brinjal plant is accomplished using "Agrobacterium"-mediated genetic transformation. The Bt brinjal has been developed to give resistance against lepidopteron insects, in particular the Brinjal Fruit and Shoot Borer ("Leucinodes orbonalis")(FSB). Mahyco, an Indian seed company based in Jalna,
Fruit and vegetable wash Fruit and vegetable wash A vegetable wash is a cleaning product designed to aid in the removal process of dirt, wax and pesticides from fruit and vegetables before they are consumed. All fresh produce, even organic, can harbor residual pesticides, dirt or harmful microorganisms on the surface. Vegetable washes may either be a number specially-marketed commercial brands, or they may be home recipes. Commercial vegetable washes generally contain surfactants, along with chelating agents, antioxidants, and other agents. Home recipes are generally dilutions of hydrogen peroxide or vinegar, the former of which may be dangerous at high concentrations. Neither the U.S.