In This
Issue:
COMPREHENSIVE
REVIEW ON GM CROPS
An increasing
body of evidence from industrial and developing countries show
that current genetically modified (GM) crops, in conjunction with
conventional agricultural practices, can contribute to a cost-effective,
sustainable, productive and sufficiently safe form of agriculture.
This
is the conclusion of Anthony Conner, Travis Glare and Jan-Peter
Nap in their comprehensive review of 250 publications which examined
the various concerns raised about the impact of GM crops. These
concerns include impact on the environment, their potential for
weediness, vertical and horizontal gene flow, ecological impacts,
effects on biodiversity and the presence of GM material in other
products. The researchers discussed their findings in a paper entitled " The
Release of Genetically Modified Crops into the Environment: Overview
of Ecological Risk Assessment" published in the January 2003
issue of the Plant Journal.
Other
conclusions made by the researchers from the New Zealand Institute
for Crop and Food Research Limited, AgResearch in New Zealand,
and the Netherlands' Plant Research International include:
- The
impacts identified for GM crops are very similar to the impacts
of traditional breeding and have been an integral part of agriculture
for many years. Consequently, the risks of growing most GM crops
on the environment or ecosystems will be similar to the effects
of growing, processing and consuming similar new cultivars from
traditional breeding. The challenge is to identify examples where
the potential environmental and ecological impacts of GM crops
are less preferable than conventional approaches.
- Governments,
supported by the global scientific and development community,
must ensure continued safe and effective testing and implement
harmonized regulatory programs that inspire public confidence.
- The
increased knowledge about GM crops provides a greater confidence
in the assurances that science can give when evaluating and monitoring
the impacts of GM crops relative to traditional breeding.
- A
crucial component for proper risk assessment is defining the
appropriate baseline for comparison and decision making. For
GM crops, the best and most appropriately defined reference point
is the impact of plants with DNA modifications made by other,
more traditional, breeding methods.
The
full paper can be downloaded from: http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/plantgm/Conner.pdf
PITFALLS IN REGULATION
AND LEGISLATION OF GM CROPS
The
regulation of risk should not turn into the risk of regulation.
The best and most appropriate baseline for comparison when performing
risk assessment of GM crops is the impact of plants developed by
traditional breeding.
This
is the major thesis of Jan-Peter Nap, Peter Metz, Marga Escaler,
and Anthony Conner in their paper entitled "The Release of
Genetically Modified Crops into the Environment: Overview of Current
Status and Regulations" published in the January 2003 issue
of The Plant Journal. An analysis was done of the regulatory systems
in countries such as the US, Argentina, China, European Union,
Australasia, and Japan.
The
authors note that the impact of regulation is a crucial issue.
While regulatory approaches in Europe and North America are essentially
different, the information required for risk assessment tends to
be similar. These include the possibility, probability and consequence
of harm on a case-by-case basis.
However,
the cost of meeting regulatory requirements is causing a negative
impact on the release of GM crops compared to the release of cultivars
from traditional breeding. Excessive regulatory reviews will impede
research and application such that only a few multinational companies
will be able to move ahead.
Nap
and colleagues also say that the trend toward zero-risk in current
regulation is that similar risk scrutiny will be imposed on the
activity of traditional, non-GM plant breeding. They claim this
would dramatically affect the future of plant science.
For
the full paper see http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/plantgm/Nap.pdf
EGLS SUPPORTS IMPROVEMENT OF BIOLOGICAL EFFICIENCY
The
European Group on Life Sciences (EGLS), one of the organizers of
the January 2003 conference in Brussels, Belgium entitled "Towards
Sustainable Agriculture for Developing Countries: Options for Life
Sciences and Biotechnologies," issued a statement on the continual
improvement of biological efficiency as one of the important solutions
in meeting the future challenges in the developing countries.
According
to the EGLS statement, "The discovery, spread and use of improved,
sustainable, affordable and environmentally friendly technologies
are an essential part of building the future. Europe has a duty
to contribute to these developments by sharing its wealth of experience,
resources and knowledge. And to ensure that benefits from the life
sciences spread to populations in greatest need, all stakeholders
should help clarify controversial areas and meet legitimate concerns."
The
EGLS statement also highlighted the fact that evidence shows that
GM food is not "more injurious" to health as compared
to conventional food, and that the risks associated with GMOs is
less extensive than that assumed by other groups. The EGLS recommends
that a thorough review of these evidences be done in developing
countries.
The
statement can be downloaded at http://europa.eu.int/comm/research/conferences/2003/sadc/
pdf/egls_statement_en.pdf
FRESCO: MOLECULAR
DIVIDE BETWEEN RICH AND POOR
Biotech developments have not focused on crops that could tackle hunger, said
Louise Fresco, of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and a panelist
at a conference on sustainable agriculture for developing countries in Brussels.
She said there was a growing gap between the promise and the reality of the
use of biotechnology and life sciences in sustainable agriculture.
The
assistant director general in the agriculture department at FAO
spoke of how 85% of transgenic crops such as corn, canola and cotton,
are designed to reduce labor and input costs. However, crops such
as chickpea and cassava that would help tackle poverty and hunger
are not being cultivated as extensively.
"There
is a molecular divide between the rich and the poor," claimed
Fresco. This divide is generated by major differences between countries
in terms of the applications and the progress of life sciences
as well as a lack of funding from the public sector.
The
current situation is also a result of a lack of confidence among
the public in scientific endeavor. "Science is currently viewed
as a source of danger rather than a partner to social progress," said
Fresco. In order to re-establish confidence in scientific research,
Fresco suggested a social contract that would establish open dialogue
in society, address the real needs of developing countries and
ensure the poor benefit from the progress made in biotechnology
and life sciences.
Professor
Fresco remarked that such a contract would generate a democratic
evaluation of biotechnology and life sciences and in particular
research into genetically modified crops. However, she noted that
the social contract should not focus only on genetically modified
crops, as it could be detrimental to other scientific research.
She concluded by making several concrete recommendations to advance
biotechnology and life science work in the development of sustainable
farming:
- Establish
a database to trace genetically modified organisms in the food
chains so that scientists and the public can stay better informed;
- Assist
developing countries to develop their own biotechnology policies;
- Help
developing countries to establish capacities to manage risk assessment;
- Establish
a global research network to match the needs and demands of developing
countries with the resources available;
- Generate
more research funding from the public sector;
- Call
upon the private sector to disseminate biotech information to
developing countries in a voluntary system.
More
on FAO at http://www.fao.org/
BMA CLARIFIES
STAND ON GM CROPS
The
British Medical Association (BMA) has disputed media news regarding
the reasons for its forthcoming review of the science of genetically
modified (GM) crops and foods. Dr. Vivienne Nathanson, Head of
BMA Science and Ethics, says that a round table meeting with scientists
is intended to review developments since its 1999 interim report.
Nathanson
stressed that the "meeting might lead to a new report from
the BMA - a second Interim statement - if the Board agrees there
is sufficient new evidence to merit such a report. Obviously we
cannot predict what any such report would say. To do so would make
the concept of gathering and considering the evidence nonsense."
The
lady scientist disproved claims that BMA was persuaded by the organization
'Sense about Science' to review its policy. Neither was it true,
said Nathanson, that the review was brought about by BMA's having
a new director of science.
The
full article is available at http://www.bma.org.uk/ap.nsf/Content/PR%2Dbma+on+gm+crops%
3A+clarification+%2D+31+Jan+2003
FAO CALLS FOR GREATER
DIVERSITY IN BANANAS
The
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is urging producers to
promote greater genetic diversity in commercial bananas. Contrary
to media reports that bananas may be extinct within 10 years, FAO
says that new breeding methods and tools, including biotechnology,
will be helpful to develop resistant bananas for cultivation. This
does not necessarily mean the use of transgenics, FAO clarified.
In addition,
it would be necessary to promote awareness of the inevitable consequences
of a narrow genetic base in crops and the need for a broader genetic
base for commercial bananas. Plant breeding programs in developing
countries for banana and other basic staple crops also need to
be strengthened.
FAO
explained that the Cavendish banana, which is being hit by Fusarium
wilt, accounts for only 10% of the total banana production. "What
is happening is the inevitable consequence of growing one genotype
on a large scale," said Eric Kueneman, Chief of FAO's Crop
and Grassland Service. The Cavendish banana is cultivated mostly
by large-scale banana companies for export.
Small-scale
farmers, however are growing a wide range of bananas that are not
being attacked by Fusarium wilt. Instead, a broad genetic pool
has been maintained which can be used for future banana crop improvement.
Banana is essentially a clonal crop with many sterile species,
which makes progress through conventional breeding slow and difficult.
Because of this, new breeding methods and tools, including biotechnology,
will be helpful to develop resistant bananas for cultivation. This
does not necessarily mean the use of transgenics, FAO said.
Since
more than 50 percent of the banana germplasm (land races) are sterile,
biotechnology and mutation breeding are important tools that can
improve banana varieties without the threat of genetic drift, said
FAO.
For
more details, contact John Riddle, Information Officer, FAO at john.riddle@fao.org
INDIA READY FOR GM
RICE
India's
National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS) has given full
support to the introduction of genetically modified (GM) varieties
of rice. It endorsed the development of rice varieties tolerant
to drought, submergence, and salinity, and rich in micronutrients.
However, the academy is not encouraging work on GM rice varieties
that produce drugs and pharmaceuticals.
K.S.
Jayaraman reports in the February 2003 issue of Nature Biotechnology
that NAAS sees the need for rice varieties with higher yield and
greater yield stability. Hence, the body feels that "We should
use all the tools at our disposal to meet these challenges."
The
academy's support for GM rice came after a workshop on biosafety
issues of transgenic rice held in Chennai. Here fears of non-governmental
organizations that releasing GM varieties in a "center of
origin of rice" would risk contaminating the land races. Vivendra
Lal Chopra, president of NAAS was quoted to have said that while
the workshop admits that the "potential of gene flow in rice
does exist, it did not identify any scientifically valid environmental
or ecological impact of transgenes on the center of diversity."
The
full article can be seen at http://www.nature.com/cgi-taf/DynaPage.taf?file=/nbt/journal/
v21/n2/full/nbt0203-117.html
Meanwhile,
The Hindu reports that India has ratified the first international
Biosafety Protocol for ensuring safety in transfer, handling and
use of GMOs. V.K. Duggal, Special Secretary in the Ministry of
Environment and Forests, says that India has well-defined regulatory
mechanisms for the development and evaluation of GMOs. However,
he stressed the need to strengthen the enforcement mechanisms and
monitoring facilities for effective implementation of the regulatory
framework.
See
details in http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/holnus/02051817.htm
BT COTTON OFFERS LONG-TERM
BOLLWORM REDUCTION
A 10-year study shows that growing Bt cotton in Arizona, using a refuge strategy,
caused long-term population declines in the pink bollworm. Yves Carrière
and colleagues at the Department of Entomology, University of Arizona and collaborators
at the Arizona Cotton Research and Protection Council evaluated changes in
pink bollworm density across several regions of Arizona during the 5 years
before and the 5 years after deployment of Bt cotton.
Widespread
adoption of Bt cotton led to regional declines in pink bollworm
populations, even after accounting for variables like weather and
regional differences other than Bt cotton use. Control of pink
bollworm by Bt cotton has helped to reduce insecticide use in Arizona,
and the new findings may further reduce insecticide use and promote
implementation of the refuge strategy. "Such long-term suppression
has not been observed with insecticide sprays, showing that transgenic
crops open new avenues for pest control," say the researchers
in their report in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,
USA.
Carrière
thinks their findings are likely to be broadly applicable to other
Bt crops and pests, and in other regions. "If a Bt crop represents
an important part of a pest diet, the pest is not too sedentary,
and its reproductive potential is not too high, then we should
observe the same declines in population density that we observed
for the pink bollworm in Arizona."
The
team has been examining the issue of the bollworm acquiring resistance. "Bt
cotton is still very effective to control pink bollworm in Arizona.
It kills more that 99% of the larvae," says Carrière.
The frequency of resistance alleles has varied significantly since
the introduction of Bt cotton. Although Bt cotton is still very
effective for controlling pink bollworm, the risk of resistance
evolution in the field is high, says Carrière. "This
is why the refuge strategy should be carefully implemented in the
field."
The
paper, "Long-term regional suppression of pink bollworm by
Bacillus thuringiensis cotton," by Yves Carrière, Christa
Ellers-Kirk, Mark Sisterson, Larry Antilla, Mike Whitlow, Timothy
J. Dennehy and Bruce Tabashnik appears in Proceedings of the National
Academy of Sciences, USA.
Contact:
Yves Carriere at this email address: ycarrier@ag.arizona.edu
GENE FOR VITAMIN C
PRODUCTION IDENTIFIED
Fernanda
Agius and her colleagues from University of Malaga and University
of Cordoba, Spain demonstrated that an enzyme, D-galacturonate
reductase, catalyzes a key step in the biosynthesis of D-ascorbic
acid. They found out that this enzyme is encoded by GalUR gene
which they isolated from ripe strawberry fruit.
Overexpression
of GalUR gene in Arabidopsis thaliana resulted in a two to threefold
increase in vitamin C content. From these findings, the researchers
suggested that this information could be utilized to produce genetically
modified crops with increased vitamin C.
Since
conventional synthesis of vitamin C is a lengthy procedure involving
microbial and chemical processes, the identification of the GalUR
gene provided a promising impact on the production of this highly
valuable compound.
D-Ascorbic
acid, commonly known as Vitamin C, in fruits and vegetables is
an essential component of human nutrition as an antioxidant and
enzyme cofactor for the maintenance of the immune system.
The
published research article can be found in Nature Biotechnology,
Volume 21, February 2003 or at http://www.nature.com/naturebiotechnology
CHLOROPLAST GENES
IN GM PLANTS LIKELY TO STAY PUT
A new
study conducted by Jeremy Timmis and colleagues at the Department
of Molecular Sciences, University of Adelaide in Australia suggests
that there is a 1-in-16,000 chance of genes moving from a plant
cell's chloroplast - its energy factory - into its pollen grains
and into the environment.
Modifying
plants by placing genes in the chloroplast could eliminate the
risk of these modified genes leaking into their wild relatives
or to other organisms. This is a major concern pertaining to GM
crops, which contains genes in their cell nuclei - the compartment
that contains most plant DNA.
In their
research, Timmis and colleagues placed two marker genes into the
chloroplasts of tobacco plants and tried to locate them in about
250,000 of the resulting offsprings. Eighteen of the seedlings
bore the genes in the nuclei of their cells. One of the markers
designed to function in the nucleus worked as expected. The other
marker, which was suited to the chloroplasts, jumped into the nucleus,
but could not function as expected.
This
illustrates how unlikely it is that a chloroplast gene would both
escape and function normally within other plants. Thus, genes in
the chloroplasts of GM plants are still likely to remain where
they are originally located.
At present,
biotechnology companies are experimenting with the insertion of
modified genes into the chloroplast for herbicide tolerance, insect
resistance, and vaccines.
For
more information, email Jeremy Timmis at jeremy.timmis@adelaide.edu.au
or download the full story at http://www.nature.com/nsu/030203/030203-8.html.
The
full paper can also be downloaded at http://www.nature.com/cgi-taf/DynaPage.taf?file=/
nature/journal/vaop/ncurrent/abs/nature01435_fs.html&dynoptions=doi1044580640.
'REVIVING' PLANT BREEDING
Plant
breeders are under threat, so says Jonathan Knight in an article
entitled "A Dying Breed" in the February 6 2003 issue
of Nature. After sowing success in developing varieties that propelled
the Green Revolution, plant breeders are losing public funding
to researchers working on molecular-genetic approaches.
Knight
observes that the world's academic plant breeding laboratories
have suffered steady attrition. This is further affected by the
global economic situation that has limited funds for research,
and changes in the intellectual property environment. Michael Gale,
head of comparative genetics at the John Innes Centre in Norwich,
UK, says, "Plant variety protection was the death knell for
public breeding programs." Although meant to stimulate innovation
in corporate labs, IPR reforms, the article pointed out, also meant
that public sector breeders were no longer free to work with plants
grown with commercial seeds.
A possible
solution, says Knight, is boosting the power of conventional breeding
by merging it with genomic and other molecular-genetic techniques.
In addition, there must be concerted effort "to break with
the proprietary approach to intellectual property that is currently
blighting the field."
Knight,
however, sees alternative approaches already being implemented
in research organizations like the Center for the Application of
Molecular Biology to International Agriculture, and the International
Center for Tropical Agriculture. A DNA microarray has been developed
to boost marker assisted selection. This technique enables a researcher
to look for the presence of genetic markers in plants in the absence
of any sequence information.
See
more of Nature at http://www.nature.com/nature.
PROTEIN HOLDS OFF
PLANT GROWTH
Nam-Hai
Chua and colleagues from the Laboratory of Plant Molecular Biology
at Rockefeller University, have identified a protein in the experimental
plant Arabidopsis that helps hold off plant growth after newborn
plants have broken through their seed coats. The identification
of this protein made it possible to genetically control when plants
initiate growth.
This
protein, called AFP, re-establishes growth by eliminating the primary
protein, called AB15, in charge of executing the growth. This developmental
arrest offers protection against the accidental sprouting or premature
germination of plants when environmental conditions are poor.
These
research findings may be applied in formulating new genetic strategies
for creating drought-resistant crops. This discovery may also lead
to possible improvements in seed storage methods.
The
news release from Rockefeller University can be downloaded at http://www.rockefeller.edu/
pubinfo/020403.php.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
E-NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIBERS
The
Crop Biotech Update is looking for the contact addresses of four
of its subscribers who were among the first to respond to our electronic
survey. As promised we would like to give a token of appreciation
for the early birds to our survey. Specifically, we want the email
and mailing addresses of the following subscribers: G. Ibrahim
of the Agricultural Research Corporation in Sudan; Viktor Zaldorozhyny
of the Feed Research Institute in Ukraine; Asdrubal Arcia of the
Facultad de Agronomia Universidad Central de Venez; and Nippn Iamsupasit
of the Thailand Biodiversity Center in Thailand.
SINGAPORE CONFERENCE ON GM FOODS
An international
conference entitled "Genetically Modified Foods: Prospects,
Challenges and Safety" will be held on February 27 until March
1, 2003 in Singapore. The organizer of this conference is the Singapore
Institute of Food Science & Technology (SIFST). For more information,
visit the conference website at http://www.sifst.org.sg.
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