Australian OGTR Receives License Application for GM Wheat and Barley Field Trial

The Australian Office of the Gene Technology Regulator (OGTR) has received a license application (DIR 186) from The University of Adelaide to conduct a field trial of genetically modified (GM) wheat and barley with yield enhancement and improved abiotic stress tolerance.

The trial is proposed to take place between April 2022 and January 2027, on a maximum of two sites per year, with a combined total of 2 hectares across both sites in any year. The trial sites are located in Light Council in South Australia and the Shire of Merredin in Western Australia. The trial would be subject to control measures that restrict the spread and persistence of the GM plants and their introduced genetic material. The GM wheat and barley would not be used for human food or animal feed.

The OGTR is preparing a Risk Assessment and Risk Management Plan for the application which would be released for public comment and further advice from experts, agencies, and authorities in late November 2021. There will be at least 30 days allowed for the submission of comments.

For more information, including the license application notification and summary, visit the DIR 186 page on the OGTR website.