Two Decades of Safety Assessment Studies of Virus-resistant GM Plants Reviewed

There is no doubt that the pathogen derived resistance (PDR) technology is effective, wrote Marc Fuchs and Dennis Gonsalves in their paper published in the Annual Review of Phytopathology. The two reviewed results from field safety assessment studies on virus-resistant transgenic crops such as squash, papaya, plum, grape, and sugar beet.

Fuchs of Cornell University and Gonsalves of the US Department of Agriculture, also discussed topics of common concern related to the environment and to human health which include heteroencapsidation, recombination, synergism, gene flow, impacts on non-target organisms, and food allergenicity.

The researchers mentioned that only a limited number of studies have real significance for risks and most are dealing with virus-host interactions rather than with safety. They recommend that based on the extensive safety assessment data and history of safe commercial use of virus-resistant transgenic crops, it is time to focus on other factors that affect their deregulation and release.

The paper can be accessed by subscribers at http://dx.doi.org/10.1146/annurev.phyto.45.062806.094434