Golden rice is a promising transgenic crop. When released for cultivation , it will help in:

Options

A. Correction of vitamin A deficiency
B. Pest resistance
C. Herbicide tolerance
D. Producing a petrol - like fuel

Answer

**Step-by-Step Solution:**

1. **Understanding Golden Rice**: Golden rice is a genetically modified organism (GMO) that has been engineered to produce beta-carotene, a precursor to vitamin A.

2. **Genetic Modification**: The process of creating golden rice involves altering the genetic material of traditional rice varieties to introduce genes responsible for the synthesis of beta-carotene.

3. **Importance of Vitamin A**: Vitamin A is essential for various bodily functions, including maintaining healthy skin, supporting the immune system, and ensuring proper vision. A deficiency in vitamin A can lead to serious health issues, such as night blindness.

4. **Role of Beta-Carotene**: When consumed, beta-carotene is converted by the human body into vitamin A, thereby addressing the deficiency that may arise from consuming regular rice, which does not contain significant amounts of this nutrient.

5. **Conclusion on Benefits**: The primary benefit of cultivating golden rice is its ability to correct vitamin A deficiency in populations that rely heavily on rice as a staple food.

6. **Evaluating Options**:
- Option 1: Correction of vitamin A deficiency - This is correct, as golden rice is specifically designed to address this issue.
- Other options (pest resistance, herbicide tolerance, producing petrol-like fuel) are not relevant to the purpose of golden rice.

7. **Final Answer**: Therefore, when released for cultivation, golden rice will help in the correction of vitamin A deficiency.

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