The release of genetically modified crops into the environment

Abstract

SummaryDespite numerous future promises, there is a multitude of concerns about the impact of GM crops on the environment. Key issues in the environmental assessment of GM crops are putative invasiveness, vertical or horizontal gene flow, other ecological impacts, effects on biodiversity and the impact of presence of GM material in other products. These are all highly interdisciplinary and complex issues. A crucial component for a proper assessment is defining the appropriate baseline for comparison and decision. For GM crops, the best and most appropriately defined reference point is the impact of plants developed by traditional breeding. The latter is an integral and accepted part of agriculture. In many instances, the putative impacts identified for GM crops are very similar to the impacts of new cultivars derived from traditional breeding. When assessing GM crops relative to existing cultivars, the increased knowledge base underpinning the development of GM crops will provide greater confidence in the assurances plant science can give on the risks of releasing such crops.

Evaluating the Induced-Odour Emission of a Bt Maize and its Attractiveness to Parasitic Wasps

“…Risk assessment of the use of insect resistant transgenic plants in agriculture includes studies on the consequences for non-target insects (Conner et al, 2003). Of particular interest are beneficial insects such as pollinators (Picard-Nizou et al, 1995;Arpaia, 1996;Poppy, 1998;Malone et al, 2001) and natural enemies of pests (Hilbeck et al, 1998;Birch et al, 1999;Bell et al, 2001), but the effects on non-target Lepidoptera has also received much attention (Losey et al, 1999;Jesse & Obrycki, 2000;Wraight et al, 2000;Zangerl et al, 2001).…”

Ecological Impacts of Genetically Modified Crops: Ten Years of Field Research and Commercial Cultivation

“…The worldwide commercial cultivation of genetically modified (GM) crops has raised concerns about potential adverse effects on the environment from the use of these crops [1][2][3][4][5]. Consequently, the risks of GM crops for the environment, and especially for biodiversity, have been extensively assessed before and during their commercial cultivation.…”

“…Since Bt-crops are intended to replace or reduce applications of conventional insecticides commonly used in agriculture, insecticide treatments should be considered as one reasonable baseline for a comparative risk assessment [1,3,30]. Experiments that included broad spectrum insecticides, such as pyrethroids and organophosphates, have shown consistently reduced abundances of different groups of predators and hymenopteran parasitoids (Bt-maize [47][48][49]; Bt-cotton [42,43,[50][51][52][53]).…”

“…Natural hybridization of crops and related plants is considered to have played an important role in both domestication of crops and the evolution of weeds [3]. Surprisingly, gene flow from crops to wild relatives has only recently received major attention in the context of genetically engineered crops.…”

“…It is generally agreed that the hazards related to gene flow from GM crops are linked to the introgression of transgenes into populations of wild relatives [1,3,[97][98][99]. There is little scientific support for the assertion that transgene dispersal is a hazard in itself.…”