France, Nov. 20 -- India's Supreme Court is hearing from activists who want tostop genetically modified mustard being grown in trials in open fields, after the country's top regulator granted its approval last month.

The top court began hearing an applicationseeking a moratorium on the release of GM mustard on 17 November, the latest legal wrangle over the genetically altered crop.

The Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC), India's top regulator of genetically modified plants and food products, had earlier approved the environmental release of Dhara Mustard Hybrid-11, a genetically engineered variant of mustard that scientists hope could provide India with a vital source of cooking oil.

In a landmark decision in October,GEACga...