The first genetically modified plant commercially released in India is ________.

Correct option is D

The correct answer is (D) Bt-cotton

Explanation:
• Bt-cotton is the first and only genetically modified (GM) crop officially approved for commercial cultivation in India, cleared by the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) in 2002.
• It incorporates a gene derived from the soil bacterium *Bacillus thuringiensis*, which produces an insecticidal protein that protects the cotton plant from the destructive bollworm pest.
• The adoption of Bt-cotton transformed India's textile sector, turning the country into a top producer and exporter of cotton by significantly cutting down on chemical pesticide use and boosting yields.

Information Booster:
• The Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC), operating under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, is India's apex statutory body responsible for approving the commercial release of GM organisms.

Additional Knowledge:
• Golden Rice (Option A): A genetically modified variety of rice engineered to biosynthesize beta-carotene (a precursor of Vitamin A) to address nutritional deficiencies, but not approved for commercial farming in India.
• Flavr Savr (Option B): The first genetically modified food crop approved globally (a tomato with a longer shelf-life), released in the United States in 1994.
• Bt-Brinjal (Option C): A GM food crop that faced a commercial release moratorium in India due to environmental concerns and public opposition.