GM Sweet Potato

The issues likely to be raised with the advent of virus resistant sweet potatoes are those that have been raised previously for other GM crops. Similarly, this new variety of sweet potato will have to undergo rigorous tests before it is released in the market. It has to be proven safe for people, animals and the environment.

There is still little information on transgenic sweet potato but the likelihood that the technology used will have any adverse effects on human health is very low. The inserted viral gene is part of the viral DNA and humans consume viruses whenever they eat virus-infected sweet potatoes.

A particular risk of the described technology is that an exchange of these genes with other viruses could occur. Thus, new viruses could be created with entirely new properties.

Another risk that has been put forward is that sweet potato viruses could overcome resistance technologies. This would diminish the effectiveness of the innovation. In Africa, it is assumed that sweet potato production systems would enable relatively long effectiveness. Small-scale farmers often grow different varieties of sweet potato on adjacent fields, or sometimes even on a single plot. As a result, there will always be sufficient nontransgenic areas nearby to reduce resistance development.

Related topics:

• Virus resistance
• VR technology
• Issues
• Relevant info
• Prospects
• FAQs

Summary Report on the Global Status of Commercialized Biotech/GM Crops - [View the 2004 report]

Transgenic Crops - [Click Here]

Extensive Study on Bt Cotton - [Click Here]

Download the complete copy of the ISAAA Briefs on Global Status/Review of GM Crops - [Click Here]

SciDev.Net's dossier on GM crops - [Click here]

Global Status of Approved Genetically Modified Plants -  [Click here]

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