Amanpreet Kaur
@puchd.ac.in
Assistant Professor
Panjab University , Chandigarh
With a rich teaching experience of 16 years in higher education, I have hands-on experience in handling classes including BA, BSc, BCom, BCA, BBA, Add-On and Vocational Courses. I am adept and skilful in effective and comprehensive teaching in diverse subjects and streams like Environment Education, Ecology, Environment Auditing, Risk Management, Environment Conservation.
Research has been the most important component of my academic career. Commitment to work, passion for scientific processes and appreciation of social implications made the course of research completely fulfilling. As an avid researcher, I worked on the contentious issue of GM Crops with an intent of understanding the efficacy of agri-biotechnology in solving the persisting food problems of the world. The research has been published in diverse and quality journals. The work has been represented at many national and international fora, receiving healthy criticism and accolades.
EDUCATION
PhD Environment Science
MSc Environment Science
RESEARCH, TEACHING, or OTHER INTERESTS
Multidisciplinary, Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics, Environmental Science, Ecology
Scopus Publications
Scholar Citations
Scholar h-index
Scholar i10-index
Scopus Publications
Amanpreet Kaur
Walter de Gruyter GmbH
Abstract The success of genetically modified crops (GMCs), claimed to hold solution to impending environmental problems, depends on land holdings, agroclimatic and geoclimatic conditions, food preferences and sociocultural factors. The direct and indirect impacts of these crops on human health, ecology and environment have not been evaluated on long-term basis. In India, with rich background of farming, GMCs remain a minor change. Introduction of first GMC, Bt Cotton (BC), showed varied response throughout the country. New GMCs like Bt Brinjal and GM Mustard approved for open-field trials in the country were marred under contentious debate and were never approved for commercial cultivation. The current research article aims to study the ecological implications of only GMC available for experimentation in India, BC. A three-phase study carried out as field survey, glass dome experiments and open-field trials compared the BC and conventional cotton (CC) plants with extensive experimentation of ecological parameters including vegetation diversity, insect diversity, plant morphology and infestation intensity. Results highlighted the better morphological characteristics of BC over CC, while infestation studies showed 40% survival rate of insect pest on BC for which it is genetically modified. High electrical conductivity and low organic matter content in the BC soil samples as compared to CC soil samples were indicative of impact of Bt toxins in soil but need further in-depth soil studies to reach scientifically valid results. The current research article substantiates the environmental concerns raised against GMCs especially BC in the country. Its objective is to trigger more research in this direction, so that the technology of GMCs is utilized for the benefit of humankind.
Amanpreet Kaur, R. K. Kohli, and P. S. Jaswal
Springer Science and Business Media LLC