Biotech Updates

Australia to Conduct First GM Wheat Field Trial

July 6, 2007

The Australian federal authorities approved the first field trial of 30 genetically modified (GM) wheat lines that have drought resistance.  The trials that will be conducted in two sites in the state of Victoria are funded by the Molecular Plant Breeding Cooperative Research Center.

The wheat lines contain one of six different genes for drought tolerance derived from wheat, thale cress, moss and yeast. The trial that will be conducted in a 0.225 hectares will determine the agronomic performance of the GM wheat lines under rain-fed and drought-prone conditions as compared with the non GM lines.

For further details: http://www.gmo-compass.org/eng/news/messages/200706.docu.html#130.