INSERT INTO `bibliography_bibliography_i18n` (`id`, `title`, `abstract`, `locale`) VALUES
(3719, 'Foraging range of honey bees, Apis mellifera, in alfalfa seed production fields.', 'A study was conducted in 2006 and 2007 designed to examine the foraging range of honey bees, Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae), in a 15.2 km2 area dominated by a 128.9 ha glyphosate-resistant Roundup Ready® alfalfa seed production field and several non-Roundup Ready alfalfa seed production fields (totaling 120.2 ha). Each year, honey bee self-marking devices were placed on 112 selected honey bee colonies originating from nine different apiary locations. The foraging bees exiting each apiary location were uniquely marked so that the apiary of origin and the distance traveled by the marked (field-collected) bees into each of the alfalfa fields could be pinpointed. Honey bee self-marking devices were installed on 14.4 and 11.2% of the total hives located within the research area in 2006 and 2007, respectively. The frequency of field-collected bees possessing a distinct mark was similar, averaging 14.0% in 2006 and 12.6% in 2007. A grand total of 12,266 bees were collected from the various alfalfa fields on seven sampling dates over the course of the study. The distances traveled by marked bees ranged from a minimum of 45 m to a maximum of 5983 m. On average, marked bees were recovered ~ 800 m from their apiary of origin and the recovery rate of marked bees decreased exponentially as the distance from the apiary of origin increased. Ultimately, these data will be used to identify the extent of pollen-mediated gene flow from Roundup Ready to conventional alfalfa.', 'en_US'),
(3720, 'GMO-Regulation (EC) No.1829/2003 and honey: how to proceed.', 'For many years honey and the requirements of Regulation (EC) No. 1829/2003 on genetically modified food and feed were different worlds. This has ended with the judgment of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) dated 6 September 2011 in the”Bablock”-case C-442/091. The ECJ held that pollen from GM crops which is detected in honey results in the application of Art. 3 para. 1 lit. c) of Regulation (EC) No. 1829/2003 and thus pulls the affected honey into the scope of the strict GMO-requirements of the Regulation, including mandatory authorization and labelling provisions. The ruling has potentially severe consequences for the marketing of honey in the EU. Thus, at the moment, one of the main legal and economic questions in regard to the commercial sale of honey is: How to proceed?', 'en_US'),
(3721, 'Case note: political issue of GMOs -- ECJ on MON 810.', 'Case Note I. Introduction By judgment dated 8 September 2011, the ECJ (again) had to answer questions concerning MON 810 maize1 admitted as GMO in the ten joined cases C-58/10 to C-68/10. Although the ECJ could answer some formal questions in its judgment, the ECJ – unsurprisingly – could not solve the basic problem, i.e. that Member States adopt national measures in respect of GMOs primarily on the basis of political considerations and that both legal and scientific aspects are mostly disregarded or, at best, used as an excuse. II. Main Proceedings By Decision 98/294/EC, the Commission authorised the placing on the market of MON 810 maize on the basis of Directive 90/220/EC. Subsequentl...', 'en_US'),
(3722, 'Analysis of the seed dispersal patterns of wild soybean as a reference for vegetation management around genetically modified soybean fields.', 'There are concerns that genetically modified soybean might threaten the genetic diversity of the wild soybean populations that are distributed in East Asia because genetically modified soybean has no crossing barrier with wild soybean. A simple and effective method to prevent hybridization via pollen flow is spatial separation between the two species because their hybridization occurs only when they grow in close proximity. Therefore, the invasiveness of wild soybean needs to be known in order to secure the appropriate distances. As wild soybean seeds are dispersed mechanically by pod dehiscence, an experiment was conducted in which white sheets were placed on the ground, concentric circles were drawn around the parent plants, and the number of dispersed seeds within each 0.5 m-wide zone were counted. About 40% of the produced seeds were dispersed and the number of dispersed seeds gradually declined as the distance from the parent plants increased. The model that explained the relationship between the number and distance of the dispersed seeds was produced by using a generalized linear model procedure. More than 95, 99, and 99.9% of the produced seeds stayed within 3.5, 5.0, and 6.5 m after natural pod dehiscence. Knowing these values is useful for evaluating the level of invasive risk by mechanical seed dispersal. The goal of the work is to efficiently and deliberately prevent hybridization by isolating genetically modified soybean fields and wild soybean populations by vegetation management, including weeding and setting up specific-width buffer zones.', 'en_US'),
(3723, 'Field evaluation of effects of transgenic cry1Ab/cry1Ac, cry1C and cry2A rice on Cnaphalocrocis medinalis and its arthropod predators.', 'The impacts of transgenic Bt rice on target pests and their predators need to be clarified prior to the commercialization of Bt rice. In this study, the percentages of folded leaves of three transgenic Bt rice lines and non-transgenic parental rice line caused by Cnaphalocrocis medinalis were studied over two successive growing seasons. In addition, the population densities, relative abundance and population dynamics of C. medinalis and four species of its natural arthropod predators were investigated at three sites in China. The results showed that rice line significantly affected the percentages of folded leaves and population densities of C. medinalis larvae. Significantly higher percentages of folded leaves were observed on the non-transgenic rice compared with the three transgenic Bt rice on most sampling dates. Significantly higher densities of C. medinalis larvae and higher relative abundance of C. medinalis within phytophages were found on non-transgenic rice compared with three transgenic Bt rice at different sites across the study period. The population dynamics of C. medinalis larvae were significantly affected by rice line, rice line×sampling date, rice line×year, rice line×sampling date×year. However, there was little, if any, significant difference in the relative abundance, population density and population dynamics of the four arthropod predators between the three Bt rice lines and non-transgenic rice. The results of this study indicate that the Bt toxin in transgenic Bt rice can effectively suppress the occurrence of C. medinalis, but has no significant effects on the occurrence of the four predatory arthropod species.', 'en_US'),
(3724, 'Local adaptation of an introduced transgenic insect fungal pathogen due to new beneficial mutations.', 'Genetically modified Metarhizium spp represent a major new arsenal for combating insect pests and insect-borne diseases. However, for these tools to be used safely and effectively, we need a much better understanding of their evolutionary potential and invasion ecology. In order to model natural as well as anthropogenic dispersal scenarios, we investigated evolutionary processes in a green fluorescent protein tagged strain of Metarhizium robertsii following transfer from a semitropical to a temperate soil community. Adaptive changes occurred over four years despite recurrent genetic bottlenecks and lack of recombination with locally well adapted strains. By coupling microarray-based functional analysis with DNA hybridizations we determined that expression of cell wall and stress response genes evolved at an accelerated rate in multiple replicates, whereas virulence determinants, transposons, and chromosome structure were unaltered. The mutable genes were enriched for TATA boxes possibly because they are larger mutational targets. In further field trials, we showed that the new mutations increased the fitness of M. robertsii in the new range by enhancing saprophytic associations, and these benefits were maintained in subsequent years. Consistent with selection being habitat rather than host specific, populations of an avirulent mutant cycled with seasons similarly to the wild type, whereas a mutant unable to adhere to plant roots showed a linear decrease in population. Our results provide a mechanistic basis for understanding postrelease adaptations, show that agents can be selected that lack gene flow and virulence evolution, and describe a means of genetically containing transgenic strains by disrupting the Mad2 gene.', 'en_US'),
(3725, 'How effective and safe is Bt-maize in South Africa?', 'The South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) recently released the outcome of the South Africa–Norway bio-safety cooperation project ‘Monitoring the environmental impacts of GM maize in South Africa’. This project studied possible impacts of commercial genetically modified (GM) maize (MON810 maize), containing the Cry1Ab protein (Bt-protein), on the South African environment. The report addresses concerns about Bt-technology in GM maize in South Africa, in particular the development of possible resistance of target insects to the Bt-toxin and of unintended effects of GM maize on non-target organisms.', 'en_US'),
(3726, 'Potential use of Sesbania pachycarpa (Fabaceae: Papilionoideae) as a refugia for the legume pod borer Maruca vitrata (Lepidoptera: Crambidae).', 'Deployment of cowpea with Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt-cowpea), to control Maruca vitrata Fab., must be preceded by the development of an insect resistance management (IRM) plan to ensure a sustainable use of the in-plant protection offered by the transgenic variety. One of the components of a resistance management plan involves the use of wild or cultivated host plants as refugia. In West Africa, wild refugia have the potential to be a major component of such an IRM strategy. In the current study, we examined the occurrence of M. vitrata on three cultivated cowpea varieties and one wild alternative host, Sesbania pachycarpa D.C. Our results indicate that M. vitrata population overlapped on the wild host and cowpea. The overall insect population on S. pachycarpa represents 9–13% of the population on cultivated cowpea. Based on these findings, we suggest that S. pachycarpa may contribute as a refuge for M. vitrata population in case of deployment of Bt-cowpea.', 'en_US'),
(3727, 'Case studies on the use of biotechnologies and on biosafety provisions in four African countries.', 'This review is based on a study commissioned by the European Commission on the evaluation of scientific, technical and institutional challenges, priorities and bottlenecks for biotechnologies and regional harmonisation of biosafety in Africa. Biotechnology was considered within four domains: agricultural biotechnologies (‘Green’), industrial biotechnologies and biotechnologies for environmental remediation (‘White’), biotechnologies in aquaculture (‘Blue’) and biotechnologies for healthcare (‘Red’). An important consideration was the decline in partnerships between the EU and developing countries because of the original public antipathy to some green biotechnologies, particularly genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and food from GM crops in Europe. The study focus reported here was West Africa (Ghana, Senegal, Mali and Burkina Faso).\r\n\r\nThe overall conclusion was that whereas high-quality research was proceeding in the countries visited, funding is not sustained and there is little evidence of practical application of biotechnology and benefit to farmers and the wider community. Research and development that was being carried out on genetically modified crop varieties was concentrating on improving food security and therefore unlikely to have significant impact on EU markets and consumers. However, there is much non-controversial green biotechnology such as molecular diagnostics for plant and animal disease and marker-assisted selection for breeding that has great potential application. Regarding white biotechnology, it is currently occupying only a very small industrial niche in West Africa, basically in the sole sector of the production of liquid biofuels (i.e., bio-ethanol) from indigenous and locally planted biomass (very often non-food crops). The presence of diffused small-scale fish production is the basis to develop and apply new (Blue) aquaculture technologies and, where the research conditions and the production sector can permit, to increase this type of production and the economy of this depressed areas. However, the problems bound to environmental protection must not be forgotten; priority should be given to monitor the risks of introduction of foreign species. Red biotechnologies potentially bring a vast domain of powerful tools and processes to achieve better human health, most notably improved diagnostics by molecular techniques, better targeting of pathogens and a better knowledge of their sensitivities to drugs to permit better treatment.\r\n\r\nBiosafety regulatory frameworks had been initiated in several countries, starting with primary biosafety law. However, disparate attitudes to the purpose of biosafety regulation (e.g., fostering informed decision-making versus ‘giving the green-light for a flood of GMOs’) currently prevent a needed consensus for sub-regional harmonisation. To date, most R&amp;D funding has come from North America with some commercial interests from Asia, but African biotechnology workers expressed strong desire for (re-)engagement with interested parties from the European Union. Although in some of the visited countries there are very well qualified personnel in molecular biology and biosafety/regulation, the main message received is that human resources and capacity building in-house are still needed. This could be achieved through home-based courses and capacity-building including funds for post-degree research to motivate and retain trained staff.', 'en_US'),
(3728, 'Lack of glyphosate resistance gene transfer from Roundup Ready(R) soybean to Bradyrhizobium japonicum under field and laboratory conditions. ', 'A ?eld study was conducted at the Russell E. Larson Agricultural Research Center to determine the effect of transgenic glyphosate-resistant soybean in combination with herbicide (Roundup) application on its endosymbiont Bradyrhizobium japonicum. DNA of bacteroids from isolated nodules was analysed for the presence of the transgenic 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (CP4-EPSPS) DNA sequence using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). To further assess the likelihood that the EPSPS gene may be transferred from the Roundup Ready® (RR) soybean to B. japonicum, we have examined the natural transformation ef? ciency of B. japonicum strain 110spc4. Analyses of nodules showed the presence of the transgenic EPSPS DNA sequence. In bacteroids that were isolated from nodules of transgenic soybean plants and then cultivated in the presence of glyphosate this sequence could not be detected. This indicates that no stable horizontal gene transfer (HGT) of the EPSPS gene had occurred under ? eld conditions. Under laboratory conditions, no natural transformation was detected in B. japonicum strain 110spc4 in the presence of various amounts of recombinant plasmid DNA. Our results indicate that no natural competence state exists in B. japonicum 110spc4. Results from ? eld and laboratory studies indicate the lack of functional transfer of the CP4-EPSPS gene from glyphosate-tolerant soybean treated with glyphosate to root-associated B. japonicum.', 'en_US'),
(3729, 'Assessment of the benefits and risks for engineered virus resistance.', 'Viral diseases of cultivated crops are responsible for the worldwide loss of billions of US dollars in agricultural productivity every year. Historically, this loss has been reduced or minimized principally by the implementation of specific agricultural/phytosanitary measures, and by the introduction of naturally occurring virus-resistance genes into appropriate cultivars by plant breeding. Since the first report of virus-resistant transgenic plants (VRTPs) in 1986, a remarkable diversity of virus-resistance transgenes has been developed. Despite this, to a large part due to controversy surrounding the use of genetically modified organisms, the number of commercially available VRTPs remains small. However, since the potential risks associated with VRTPs were first formulated in the early 1990s, fundamental research on plant–virus interactions and also research specifically aimed at resolving biosafety issues have greatly circumscribed the potential impact of the risks envisaged. Yet, in spite of the advances, both in strategies for creating VRTPs and in the assessment of potential risks, it remains remarkably difficult to weigh the risks/costs and benefits of different means to manage plant viral diseases, and even to make scientifically well-founded choices of the most appropriate strategy for creating VRTPs. Many of the outstanding issues concern the lack of sufficient knowledge of the breadth and durability of the resistance of VRTPs under field conditions. VRTPs will only take their appropriate place in modern agriculture when their potential users will be able to base their choices on realistic assessments of their efficacy, durability, and safety.', 'en_US'),
(3730, 'The integrated risk assessment of transgenic rice: a comparative proteomics approach.', 'The identification of unintended effects resulting from genetic modification processes is an important aspect of evaluations of the biosafety of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), but one that is notoriously difficult. Non-targeted techniques, such as proteomics, offer considerable potential for improving the detection of unintended effects of genetic modification in crop plants, such as rice. In this study, total seed protein expression patterns of two strains of transgenic rice (Bt rice and PEPC rice) were examined using a comparative proteomics approach with two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE), and differences at the biochemical level, compared to each line’s non GM counterpart, determined. The results indicated that some of the seed proteins from the two transgenic rice lines differed in their relative intensities compared with in their respective control lines. 28 proteins were successfully identified with MALDI-TOF-MS, 5 of which were well-characterized and these were discussed. In summary, transgenic rice were found to differ in their protein contents from their non-GM counterparts, which could raise concerns regarding their potential risks for human health and ecology. ', 'en_US'),
(3731, 'Basis of indicatory species selection in the risk evaluation of the effect of genetically modified plants on the environment.(Zasady wyboru gatunków wskaznikowych w ocenie ryzyka wplywu roslin zmodyfikowanych genetycznie na srodowisko.)', '', 'en_US'),
(3732, 'Coexistence of genetically modified crops and conventional and organic agriculture: the Hungarian system.', '', 'en_US'),
(3733, 'Assessment of the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal community in roots and rhizosphere soils of Bt corn and their non-Bt isolines.', 'Polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE) in combination with sequencing of amplified partial 18S ribosomal DNA was used to assess the effects of transgenic Bt corn 5422Bt1 (event Bt 11) and 5422CBCL (event MON810) on the community structure of a non-target microorganism, namely the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) Glomus in corn roots and rhizosphere soils, relative to their non-Bt isolines 5422 (conventional parent) and 5422wx (conventional hybrid). AMF colonization in roots of different corn genotypes was also assessed using microscopic visualization. No adverse effect was detected on the indigenous AMF colonization of the roots of Bt hybrids 5422Bt1 and 5422CBCL. Two-way indicator species analysis (TWINSPAN®) and detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) of the DGGE data from corn roots presented differences between Bt and non-Bt corn isolines (5422Bt1 vs. 5422wx, and 5422CBCL vs. 5422wx). However, differences were also recognized between the two non-Bt corn cultivars (5422 vs. 5422wx), and between the two Bt corn lines (5422Bt1 vs. 5422CBCL) in roots. Our results suggest that corn genotypes may have a greater influence on the AMF community structure of plant roots and rhizosphere soils than other factors, such as the age of the growing plants.', 'en_US'),
(3734, 'How do susceptible Helicoverpa larvae behave on Bollgard II? ', 'Shortly after the widespread adoption of Bollgard II cotton in Australia there were reports that Helicoverpa larvae were surviving in these crops at levels that exceeded the recommended threshold levels for control.\r\nIn response to these reports, Crop Consultants Australia members were surveyed for data from the 2005–06, 2006–07, and 2007–08 seasons (see the June 2009 issue of The Australian Cottongrower for a full report). This work showed that in any year an average of 15 per cent of the Bollgard II area planted carried larvae at above threshold levels, and that survivors were present in some fields in all cotton growing regions. Survival always occurred during flowering, and could follow low or high egg pressure but was always within the range of one to three larvae per metre.', 'en_US'),
(3735, 'Genetically engineered virus-resistant plants in developing countries: current status and future prospects. ', 'Plant viruses cause severe crop losses worldwide. Conventional control strategies, such as cultural methods and biocide applications against arthropod, nematode, and plasmodiophorid vectors, have limited success at mitigating the impact of plant viruses. Planting resistant cultivars is the most effective and economical way to control plant virus diseases. Natural sources of resistance have been exploited extensively to develop virus-resistant plants by conventional breeding. Non-conventional methods have also been used successfully to confer virus resistance by transferring primarily virus-derived genes, including viral coat protein, replicase, movement protein, defective interfering RNA, non-coding RNA sequences, and protease, into susceptible plants. Non-viral genes (R genes, microRNAs, ribosome-inactivating proteins, protease inhibitors, dsRNAse, RNA modifying enzymes, and scFvs) have also been used successfully to engineer resistance to viruses in plants. Very few genetically engineered (GE) virus resistant (VR) crops have been released for cultivation and none is available yet in developing countries. However, a number of economically important GEVR crops, transformed with viral genes are of great interest in developing countries. The major issues confronting the production and deregulation of GEVR crops in developing countries are primarily socio-economic and related to intellectual property rights, biosafety regulatory frameworks, expenditure to generate GE crops and opposition by non-governmental activists. Suggestions for satisfactory resolution of these factors, presumably leading to field tests and deregulation of GEVR crops in developing countries, are given.', 'en_US'),
(3736, 'Impacts of transgenic Bt cotton on a non-target pest, Apolygus lucorum (Meyer-Dur) (Hemiptera: Miridae), in northern China.', 'Transgenic Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) cotton has been effectively used to control the cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) in China. However, in recent years, following the wide commercialization of Bt cotton in northern China there have been frequent outbreaks of the non-target pest Apolygus lucorum (Meyer-Dür). To clarify how transgenic cotton contributes to these outbreaks, a four-year field investigation of population dynamics and laboratory life table studies were carried out from 2007 to 2010 to evaluate the impact of two transgenic cotton cultivars (SGK321 expressing Cry1Ac + CpTI and GK12 expressing Cry1Ac) and their corresponding parental non-transgenic lines (Shiyuan321 and Simian3) on A. lucorum. There were no significant differences in the population densities of A. lucorum found in Bt cotton and non-Bt cotton plots, whether one compared those that had received insecticide treatments or those that had not. However, population densities of A. lucorum were significantly lower in pesticide treated plots than in controls. Furthermore, there were no significant differences in the net reproductive rates, generation times or intrinsic rates of increase of A. lucorum when reared on either Bt or non-Bt cotton cultivars. These results suggest that Bt cotton has no direct positive or negative effects on the biology of A. lucorum, so the most logical explanation for the observed outbreaks is the decrease in pesticide applications following the commercial release of Bt cotton.', 'en_US'),
(3737, 'Herbicide programs for enhanced glyphosate-resistant and glufosinate-resistant cotton (Gossypium hirsutum).', 'Research was conducted at experimental research stations near Keiser and Marianna (Marianna-A), AR, in 2007, and in a grower''s field near Marianna (Marianna-B), AR, in 2008, to compare herbicide programs, including POST application(s) of glyphosate/glufosinate alone or in combination with residual herbicides applied as PRE, mid-POST (MPOST), or layby POST-directed (PD) in enhanced glyphosate- and glufosinate-resistant cotton. Weed species evaluated included Palmer amaranth, pitted morningglory, hemp sesbania, barnyardgrass, and a mixture of large crabgrass and goosegrass. At Marianna-B, AR, the Palmer amaranth population was a mixture of glyphosate-resistant and -susceptible plants. For both cotton cultivars and at all locations, inclusion of S-metolachlor plus fluometuron PRE increased weed control and/or decreased the number of glufosinate or glyphosate applications needed in-season. At Marianna-B, AR, PRE residual herbicides and/or glufosinate were required to control glyphosate-resistant Palmer amaranth. Addition of pyrithiobac to glufosinate or glyphosate did not increase weed control. A layby PD application of flumioxazin plus MSMA was required to increase late-season control of all weed species in POST glufosinate-only programs, but not in POST glyphosate-only programs. None of the programs caused &gt;&amp;#8201;5% injury to either cotton cultivar. Seed-cotton yield was similar in all herbicide programs at Keiser, AR, and Marianna-A, AR, except for the POST glyphosate-only program, which yielded less than the PRE followed by POST programs in glyphosate-resistant cotton at Keiser, AR. In general, PRE herbicides did not increase cotton yield but did improve early and late-season control of glyphosate-susceptible and -resistant weeds in both cotton cultivars.', 'en_US'),
(3738, 'Attitudes of European farmers towards GM crop adoption. ', 'This article analyses European Union (EU) farmers’ attitudes towards adoption of genetically modified crops by identifying and classifying groups of farmers. Cluster analysis provided two groups of farmers allowing us to classify farmers into potential adopters or rejecters of genetically modified herbicide-tolerant (GMHT) crops. Results showed that economic issues such as the guarantee of a higher income and the reduction of weed control costs are the most encouraging reasons for potential adopters and rejecters of GMHT crops. This article also examines how putting in place measures to ensure coexistence between GM and non-GM crops may influence farmers’ attitudes towards GMHT crop adoption. Results show that the implementation of a coexistence policy would have a negative impact on farmers’ attitudes on adoption and consequently may hamper GMHT adoption in the EU.', 'en_US'),
(3739, 'The Bt brinjal-biodiversity issue.', '', 'en_US'),
(3740, 'Environmental change challenges decision-making during post-market environmental monitoring of transgenic crops. ', 'The ability to decide what kind of environmental changes observed during post-market environmental monitoring of genetically modified (GM) crops represent environmental harm is an essential part of most legal frameworks regulating the commercial release of GM crops into the environment. Among others, such decisions are necessary to initiate remedial measures or to sustain claims of redress linked to environmental liability. Given that consensus on criteria to evaluate ‘environmental harm’ has not yet been found, there are a number of challenges for risk managers when interpreting GM crop monitoring data for environmental decision-making. In the present paper, we argue that the challenges in decision-making have four main causes. The first three causes relate to scientific data collection and analysis, which have methodological limits. The forth cause concerns scientific data evaluation, which is controversial among the different stakeholders involved in the debate on potential impacts of GM crops on the environment. This results in controversy how the effects of GM crops should be valued and what constitutes environmental harm. This controversy may influence decision-making about triggering corrective actions by regulators. We analyse all four challenges and propose potential strategies for addressing them. We conclude that environmental monitoring has its limits in reducing uncertainties remaining from the environmental risk assessment prior to market approval. We argue that remaining uncertainties related to adverse environmental effects of GM crops would probably be assessed in a more efficient and rigorous way during pre-market risk assessment. Risk managers should acknowledge the limits of environmental monitoring programmes as a tool for decision-making.', 'en_US'),
(3741, 'Government regulation and public opposition create high additional costs for field trials with GM crops in Switzerland.', 'Field trials with GM crops are not only plant science experiments. They are also social experiments concerning the implications of government imposed regulatory constraints and public opposition for scientific activity. We assess these implications by estimating additional costs due to government regulation and public opposition in a recent set of field trials in Switzerland. We find that for every Euro spent on research, an additional 78 cents were spent on security, an additional 31 cents on biosafety, and an additional 17 cents on government regulatory supervision. Hence the total additional spending due to government regulation and public opposition was around 1.26 Euros for every Euro spent on the research per se. These estimates are conservative; they do not include additional costs that are hard to monetize (e.g. stakeholder information and dialogue activities, involvement of various government agencies). We conclude that further field experiments with GM crops in Switzerland are unlikely unless protected sites are set up to reduce these additional costs.', 'en_US'),
(3742, 'Smallholder farmers'' perceptions on Bt maize and their relative influence towards its adoption: the case of Mqanduli communal area, South Africa. ', 'Lack of knowledge on the influence of perception based socio-economic factors capable of influencing smallholder farmers to adopt biotechnology has often been cited as a crucial policy gap. This scenario has been attributed to the retardation of the advancement of technology to smallholder farmers. Effectively, a widening gap seems to exist between large and smallholder farmers on the adoption rate of biotechnology, to the disadvantage of the latter. Low adoption rate of Bt maize by smallholder farmers amid multiple benefits from this technology presents a significant gap in literature and policy worth exploring. Understanding smallholder farmers’ perceptions on biotechnology and the relative influence of these perceptions towards adoption of Bt maize may be necessary in providing answers to the slow adoption rate, which could be used to model corrective policy prescriptions. Using a Binary Logistic Regression Model, fourteen predictor independent variables were regressed against the dichotomous dependent variable of Bt maize adoption status of households. The goal was to estimate the manipulative power of smallholder perception based factors that may influence households’ decision to adopt Bt maize. Results suggests that, the elimination of problems encountered in conventional agriculture, easy farm management, reduction in agricultural chemicals, improvement in overall quality and nutritional values of products possible with Bt maize, labelling of Genetically Modified foods and availability of information, were significant perceptions shared by farmers, capable of positively influencing adoption of Bt maize by smallholder farmers. Moreover, the feared technological fees, yearly purchase cost of Bt maize seed and restriction on saving Bt maize seed as returned seed, seem to be insignificant to send a disincentive signal to hinder adoption of Bt maize by smallholder farmers. Effectively, results further suggest that benefits attached may far outweigh the intrinsic costs associated. The implied message centres on lack of information on biotechnology among smallholder farmers who have shown that they may adopt the technology. Hence, policy prescriptions that focus on strategic dissemination of biotechnology information to smallholder farmers may help in the advancement of biotechnology to smallholder farmers.', 'en_US'),
(3743, 'Genetically modified and organic crops in developing countries: a review of options for food security.', 'Since two decades ago, when the first GM crops were introduced, there have increasingly been hot debates on the applications of gene manipulation. Currently, the development of GM crop varieties has raised a wide range of new legal, ethical and economic questions in agriculture. There is a growing body of literature reflecting the socio-economic and environmental impacts of GM crops which aims to criticize their value for farming systems. While organic crops are promoted as environmentally-friendly products in developed countries, they have provoked great controversy in developing countries facing food security and a low agricultural productivity. Discussion has been especially vigorous when organic farming was introduced as an alternative method. There are in fact, a few tradeoffs in developing countries. On the one hand, farmers are encouraged to accept and implement GM crops because of their higher productivity, while on the other hand, organic farming is encouraged because of socio-economic and environmental considerations. A crucial question facing such countries is therefore, whether GM crops can co-exist with organic farming. This paper aims to review the main considerations and tradeoffs.', 'en_US'),
(3744, 'Cultivation of GMO in Germany: support of monitoring and coexistence issues by WebGIS technology. ', 'Background\r\nIn Germany, apart from the Amflora potato licensed for cultivation since March 2010, Bt-maize MON810 is the only genetically modified organisms (GMO) licensed for commercial cultivation (about 3,000 ha in 2008). Concerns have been raised about potential adverse environmental impacts of the GMO and about potential implications on the coexistence between conventional and genetically modified production. These issues should be considered on a regional base. The objective of this article is to describe how GMO monitoring that is required after risk assessment and GMO release can be complemented by a Web-based geoinformation system (WebGIS). Secondly, it is also described how WebGIS techniques might support coexistence issues with regard to Bt-maize cultivation and conservation areas. Accordingly, on the one hand, the WebGIS should enable access to relevant geodata describing the receiving environment, including information on cultivation patterns and conservation areas containing protected species and habitats. On the other hand, metadata on already established environmental monitoring networks should be provided as well as measurement data of the intended GMO monitoring. Based on this information and based on the functionality provided by the WebGIS, the application helps in detecting possible environmental GMO impacts and in avoiding or identifying coexistence problems.\r\n\r\nResults\r\nThe WebGIS applies Web mapping techniques to generate maps via internet requests and offers additional functionality for analysis, processing and publication of selected geodata. It is based on open source software solely. The developments rely on a combination of the University of Minnesota (UMN ) MapServer with the Apache HTTP server, the open source database management systems MySQL and PostgreSQL and the graphical user interface provided by Mapbender. Important information on the number and the location of Bt-maize fields were derived from the GMO location register of BVL. The &quot;WebGIS GMO Monitoring&quot; provides different tools allowing for the application of basic GIS techniques as, for instance, automatic or interactive zooming, distance measurements or querying attribute information from selected GIS layers. More sophisticated GIS tools were implemented additionally, e.g. a buffer function which enables generating buffers around selected geo-objects like Bt-maize fields. Finally, a function for intersection of different maps was developed. The WebGIS comprises information on the location of all Bt-maize fields in Germany according to the official GMO location register of the Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety between 2005 and 2008. It facilitates, amongst others, access to geodata of GMO fields and their surroundings and can relate them with additional environmental data on climate, soil, and agricultural patterns. Furthermore, spatial data on the location of flora-fauna-habitats and environmental monitoring sites in the federal state of Brandenburg were integrated.\r\n\r\nThe WebGIS GMO monitoring was implemented according to the concept for an &quot;Information System for Monitoring GMO&quot; (ISMO) which was designed on behalf of the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation. ISMO includes hypotheses-based ecological effects of GMO cultivation and suggests checkpoints for GMO monitoring to test whether impacts may be observed in the receiving environment.\r\n\r\nIn contrast to the public GMO register, the WebGIS GMO monitoring enables mapping of GMO fields and provides relevant geodata describing environmental and agricultural conditions in their neighbourhood of the cultivation sites as well as information derived from monitoring sites. On this basis, spatial analyses should be enabled and supported, respectively. Further, the WebGIS GMO monitoring supplements PortalU which, in Germany, is the technical realisation of the Infrastructure for Spatial Information in Europe directive (Directive 2007/2/EC) released by the EU in 2007.\r\n\r\nConclusions\r\nThe article should have shown how to support and complement GMO monitoring with the help of the WebGIS application. It facilitates co-operation and data access across spatial scales for different users since it is based on internet technologies. The WebGIS improves storage, analysis, management and presentation of spatial data. Apart from the improved flow of information, it supports future long-term GMO monitoring and modelling of the dispersal of transgenic pollen, for instance. Additional information (e.g. data on wind conditions or soil observation sites) provided by the WebGIS will be helpful to determine representative monitoring sites for detecting potential GMO impacts by means of monitoring or modelling. Thus, the WebGIS can also serve as part of an early warning system. In the near future, the integration of locations of all Bt-maize fields in Germany into the WebGIS as a continuous task should be automatised. Additionally, a methodology should be developed to detect maize fields by means of remote sensing data to manage coexistence problems on the basis of actual field patterns.', 'en_US'),
(3745, 'Interactions of transgenic Bacillus thuringiensis insecticidal crops with spiders (Araneae). ', 'Genetically modified crops expressing insecticidal proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) have dramatically increased in acreage since their introduction in the mid-1990’s. Although the insecticidal mechanisms of Bt target specific pests, concerns persist regarding direct and indirect effects on non-target organisms. In the field, spiders may be exposed to Bt toxins via multiple routes, including phytophagy and polle nivory, consumption of Bt-containing prey, and soil exudates in the detrital food web. Beyond direct toxicity, Bt crops may also have indirect impacts, including pleiotropic and prey mediated effects. Here, we comprehensively review the literature and use meta-analyses to reveal that foliar spider abundance is unaffected by Bt corn and eggplant, while cotton and rice revealed minor negative effects and there were positive effects from potato. Moreover, the soil-dwelling community of spiders was unaffected by Bt corn and cotton, while positively impacted in potato. However, Bt crops had higher populations of both foliar and epigeal spiders than insecticide treated non-Bt crops. The current risk-assessment literature has several caveats that could limit interpretations of the data, including lack of taxonomic resolution and sampling methods that bias the results in favor of certain spiders. These families responded differently to Bt crops, and spider responses to insecticides are species- and toxin-specific, thus highlighting the need for greater taxonomic resolution. Bt crops have become a prominent, and increasingly dominant, part of the agricultural landscape; understanding their interactions with spiders, a diverse and integral component of agroecosystems, is therefore essential.', 'en_US'),
(3746, 'Larval survival and development of Spodoptera litura (F.) on dual toxin Bt cotton (CryIAc+2ab) and single toxin Bt cotton (Cry1Ac). ', 'Laboratory assays showed that dual toxin B. thuringiensis (Bt) cotton cultivars expressing both Cry1Ac and Cry2Ab endotoxins were more toxic to S. litura as compared to single toxin cultivars expressing Cry1Ac and non GM cotton.  First instar larvae that survived beyond 72h, when reared continuously on the leaves of dual toxin expressing Bt cotton cultivars resulted in death of the larvae subsequently and none of the larvae survived beyond five days.  When reared on squares the surviving first instar larvae continued to suffer from metamorphic aberrations even after four days, while those on single toxin Bt cultivars and non Bt cottons moulted to higher instars on two to three days of experimentation.  In case of second, third fourth and fifth instars feeding on leaves and squares of dual toxin Bt cotton cultivars, though survival was noticed, the final weight of each instar was reduced and developed into smaller pupae when compared to the single toxin Bt and normal cotton cultivars.  The growth and survival indices of III instar were significantly low when the larvae were fed with dual toxin Bt cotton cultivars as compared to single toxin Bt cultivars and non Bt cotton.', 'en_US'),
(3747, 'Coexistence between conventional, organic and GM crops production: the Portuguese system. ', 'The objective of this paper is to analyze the way of Portugal is addressing the issue of the coexistence between conventional, organic and Genetically Modified (GM) crops production. In the EU, no form of agriculture, be it conventional, organic or transgenic, should be excluded. Farmers are free to choose the production type they prefer, without being forced to change patterns already established in the area and without spending more resources. Farmers’ choice of growing GM or non-GM crops depends not only on technical aspects related to the productivity gains and agronomic benefits to be gained from adopting this technology, but also on consumers’ preferences. Today only few Member States have adopted specific legislation on coexistence. Portugal was one of the first European Country that, in 2005, adopted a coexistence law and it has implemented one of the most complete systems of coexistence regulation. Today Portugal has a well-balanced regime based on free choice for consumers and growers. It has a coexistence system complete regulation and farmers who wish to cultivate GM maize must fulfill with national coexistence legislation that includes the following compulsory rules: participate in specific coexistence training courses, register the cultivation area, inform by written notification about their intent to cultivate GM, apply measures of coexistence, among others.', 'en_US'),
(3748, 'Production cost analysis and use of pesticides in the transgenic and conventional corn crop Zea mays (L.) in the valley of San Juan, (Tolima). ', 'A survey of 10 producers of conventional corn (Hybrids PAC 105 and Maximus) and 10 producers of transgenic corn (Pioneer Hybrid 30T17) was carried out in the municipality of Valle de San Juan in the territorial division of Tolima (Colombia), in order to analyze the differences in production costs and environmental impacts of these two agricultural technologies.  The environmental impacts were determined by calculating the field “Environmental Index Quotient” (EIQ). In the production cost analysis, a difference of 15% was found in benefit of the transgenic technology. The structure of costs of the transgenic technology was benefited by the reduced use of pesticides (insecticides and herbicides). In regards to production, the transgenic technology showed a greater yield, 5.22 ton/ha in comparison to 4.25 ton/ha the conventional technology, thus a 22% difference in yield. Finally, the EIQ calculation showed quantitative differences of 196.12 for the conventional technology (EIQ insecticides 165.14 + EIQ herbicides 30.98), while the transgenic technology was of 4.24 (EIQ insecticides 0 + EIQ herbicides 4.24). These results show a minor environmental impact when using the transgenic technology in comparison to the conventional technology, in regards to the use of insecticides and herbicides in a temporal, spatial and genotypical context analysis.', 'en_US'),
(3749, 'Performance of broiler chickens fed diets containing DAS-68416-4 soybean meal. ', 'Broiler chickens are a fast growing monogastric animal commonly used to evaluate the equivalence between transgenic and non-transgenic grains as part of the human safety assessment process. While commonly viewed like other livestock feeding trials, such studies are performed with transgenic crops with input traits (that are not designed to improve nutrition) to aid regulatory authorities in evaluating safety. Studies of this type are actually more similar to toxicology studies in purpose, with sensitive endpoints like growth used to detect metabolic perturbations. DAS-68416-4 soybean expresses the aryloxyalkanoate dioxygenase-12 (AAD-12) enzyme which inactivates 2,4-diclorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and provides DAS-68416-4 soybeans tolerance to this herbicide. DAS-68416-4 also expresses the phosphinothricin acetyltransferase (PAT) enzyme from Streptomyces viridochromogenes which confers tolerance to glufosinate-ammonium herbicides. A 6-week broiler study was conducted with diets containing toasted DAS-68416-4 soybean meal (40, 36, and 32% in starter, grower and finisher diets, respectively) to evaluate nutritional wholesomeness and safety compared with conventional comparators. Toasting soybean meal is required to inactivate endogenous antinutrients making soybean suitable for consumption by monogastric animals like broiler chickens. Toasting was found to denature both the AAD-12 and PAT proteins rendering them non-detectable by enzyme linked immunosorbent assays. Broiler growth and performance parameters were measured over a 6-week period of exposure to diets containing different sources of toasted soybean meal, and results indicate that DAS-68416-4 soybean is nutritionally equivalent to non-transgenic soybean.', 'en_US');
INSERT INTO `bibliography_bibliography_i18n` (`id`, `title`, `abstract`, `locale`) VALUES
(3750, 'Regulatory considerations surrounding the deployment of Bt-expressing cowpea in Africa: report of the deliberations of an expert panel. ', 'Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata spp unguiculata) is adapted to the drier agro-ecological zones of West Africa where it is a major source of dietary protein and widely used as a fodder crop. Improving the productivity of cowpea can enhance food availability and security in West Africa. Insect predation – predominately from the legume pod borer (Maruca vitrata), flower thrips (Megalurothrips sjostedti) and a complex of pod-sucking bugs (e.g., Clavigralla spp) – is a major yield-limiting factor in West African cowpea production. Dramatic increases in yield are shown when M. vitrata is controlled with insecticides. However, availability, costs, and safety considerations limit pesticides as a viable option for boosting cowpea production. Development of Bt-cowpea through genetic modification (GM) to control the legume pod borer is a promising approach to cowpea improvement. Cowpea expressing the lepidopteran-active Cry1Ab protein from Bacillus thuringiensis is being developed as a first generation Bt-cowpea crop for West Africa. Appropriate stewardship of Bt-cowpea to assure its sustainability under West African conditions is critical to its successful development. A first step in this process is an environmental risk assessment to determine the likelihood and magnitude of adverse effects of the Cry1Ab protein on key environmental protection goals in West Africa. Here we describe the results of an expert panel convened in 2009 to develop the problem formulation phase for Bt-cowpea and to address specific issues around gene flow, non-target arthropods, and insect resistance management.', 'en_US'),
(3751, 'Assessing the potential risks of transgenic plants for non-target invertebrates in Europe: a review of classification approaches of the receiving environment.', 'According to the current legal background for the regulation of genetically modified plants (GMPs) in Europe, an environmental risk assessment (ERA) has to be performed considering i) the crop plant, ii) the novel trait relating to its intended effect and phenotypic characteristics of the GM crop plant and iii) the receiving environment related to the intended use of the GMP. However, the current GMP-ERA does not differentiate between different intended receiving environments. Therefore, the question is to be raised: How can the ’receiving environment’ be classified on the European scale, both in an ecologically relevant and feasible way? As a first step this proposal focuses on invertebrates in the terrestrial environmental compartment. In order to check if already existing regionalization concepts are suitable for the above raised question the following selection criteria were employed:\r\n\r\n•	Distribution of non-target organisms (NTOs): A suitable regionalization concept should appropriately reflect the specific characteristics of the animal and plant communities of the different receiving environments of a GMP. Therefore, such a classification should be done by an ecoregion approach, meaning that different ecoregions support different organism communities that may play a different role in supporting relevant ecosystem services. However, information on the distribution of invertebrates in Europe is not available in sufficient detail for this purpose. Hence, it is proposed to use the information about site conditions like climatic, vegetation and soil parameters, which determine the composition of invertebrate communities, for the selection of an appropriate classification concept.\r\n•	Size and number of geographical units: This is a trade-off between the total number of ‘receiving environments’ in Europe manageable in a regulatory context and the ecological uniformity of a single geographical unit. An intermediate size and number of geographical units should be the aim of the classification.\r\n\r\nWith the ‘Indicative map of European biogeographical regions’ (IMEBR) there is an existing regionalization concept that meets many of the requirements identified above: the classification is based on parameters that also determine the distribution of invertebrate communities (i.e., the potential natural vegetation) and nine biogeographical regions represented within the 27 member states of the European (EU-27) are a manageable number for regulatory purposes. However, epigeic (living above ground) and endogeic (living below ground) faunal communities are determined by different biotic and abiotic parameters. For example, climate data is much more relevant for epigeic species than for endogeic organisms. The most important soil properties related to the distribution of endogeic organisms and plants are pH, texture, organic matter content and/or content of organic carbon, C/N ratio, and water-holding capacity. Hence, for endogeic non-target organisms there is currently no suitable regionalization concept available. For the time being, it is recommended to identify important species for testing purposes in each ecoregion with GMP cultivation by means of expert knowledge using the IMEBR for both epigeic and endogeic communities.\r\n\r\nThe regionalization concept is intended to be used in the context of the ERA of GMPs for the assessment of risk for NTOs. Hence, it should be tailored for the area in the EU where GMPs are likely to be grown. The overlap between the biogeographical regions and the intended area of cultivation for a novel GMP form the different cases, each of which should undergo a specific ERA process.\r\n\r\nFor example, there would be eight or nine separate potato cases for the EU-27 area, i.e. the Alpine, Atlantic, Boreal, Continental, Macaronesian, Mediterranean, Pannonian, Steppic and possibly the Black Sea biogeographical regions. For grain maize there would be five to nine separate cases, i.e. the Atlantic, Continental, Mediterranean, Pannonian, Steppic and possibly the Alpine, Black Sea, Boreal and Macaronesian biogeographical regions.', 'en_US'),
(3752, 'Developing risk hypotheses and selecting species for assessing non-target impacts of GM trees with novel traits: the case of altered-lignin pine trees. ', 'A procedure is presented for developing environmental risk hypotheses associated with the deployment of forest trees genetically modified to have altered wood properties and for selecting non-target species to test these hypotheses. Altered-lignin Pinus radiata trees intended for use in New Zealand are used as a hypothetical case study to illustrate our approach. Firstly, environmental management goals (such as wood production, flood control or preservation of biodiversity) were identified and linked to the forest attributes they require. Necessary conditions for each attribute were listed and appropriate assessment endpoints for them developed. For example, biological control of pests may be one condition necessary for a forest to have healthy trees, and the diversity and abundance of natural enemy species in the forest could be an appropriate assessment endpoint for measuring this condition. A conceptual model describing the relationships between an altered-lignin GM pine tree and potentially affected invertebrates and micro-organisms in a plantation forest was used to develop a set of risk hypotheses describing how the GM trees might affect each assessment endpoint. Because purified lignin does not represent the properties it imparts to wood, maximum hazard dose tests with non-target organisms, as are used to inform toxin risk assessment, cannot be conducted. Alternative experiments, based on current knowledge of the responses of organisms to lignin, must be designed. A screening method was adapted and applied to a database of invertebrate species known to inhabit New Zealand pine forests to identify and prioritize non-target invertebrate species that could be used as experimental subjects for examining these hypotheses. The screening model and its application are presented, along with a set of recommendations for pre-release tests with GM pines and potentially affected invertebrates and micro-organisms.', 'en_US'),
(3753, 'Future challenges in environmental risk assessment of transgenic plants with abiotic stress tolerance. ', 'Environmental risk assessment of transgenic plants is a prerequisite to their release into the target environment for commercial use. Risk assessment of the first generation transgenic plants with simple monogenic traits has been carried out with principles and guidelines enlisted in the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. For more complex traits such as abiotic stress tolerance, there is a growing need to examine for additional considerations in the risk assessment process based on the different nature of this trait. The salt tolerance-inducing codA gene is a representative of many abiotic stress tolerance genes that confer salt stress tolerance in transgenic plants. In comparison with simple monogenic Bt trait, the future challenge to environmental release of abiotic stress tolerance genes lies in the question whether these genes such as the salt tolerance-inducing codA will need additional considerations in the risk assessment process?. In the present work, we discussed the nature of abiotic stress tolerance trait, environmental risk assessment issues and comparison of the risk assessment elements on Bt and salt tolerance-inducing codA genes to examine needs for additional considerations in the risk assessment process. We concluded and recommended that the use of abiotic stress tolerance genes such as the salt tolerance-inducing codA gene in transgenic plants does not need additional considerations in risk assessment.', 'en_US'),
(3754, 'The price and trade effects of strict information requirements for genetically modified commodities under the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety.', 'This paper assesses the global economic implications of the proposed strict documentation requirements on traded shipments of potentially genetically modified (GM) commodities under the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. More specifically, we evaluate the trade diversion, price, and welfare effects of requiring all shipments to bear a list of specific GM events (the does contain rule) in the maize and soybean sectors. Using a spatial equilibrium model with 80 maize- and 53 soybean-trading countries, we show that information requirements would have a significant effect on the world market for maize and soybeans. But they would have even greater effects on trade, creating significant trade distortion that diverts exports from their original destination. The measure would also lead to significant negative welfare effects for all members of the Protocol and nonmembers that produce GM maize, soybeans, or both. While non-GM producers in Protocol member countries would benefit from this regulation, consumers and producers in many developing countries would have to pay a proportionally much heftier price for such a measure.', 'en_US'),
(3755, 'GM crops: between biological risk and environmental and economic benefits. ', 'Los cultivos transgénicos, biotecnológicos o genéticamente modificados (GM) son el resultado de la aplicación de la tecnología del DNA recombinante en la agricultura. Este tipo de organismos se forman con la transferencia de genes foráneos (transgenes) de cualquier origen biológico (animal, vegetal, microbiano, viral) al genoma de las especies cultivadas de plantas. Los cultivos GM se utilizan en el mundo desde 1996 y en diciembre de 2010 se llego a mil millones de hectáreas, sembradas en todo el período (James, 2010). En solo el pasado año 2010 se sembraron 148 millones de hectáreas, cultivadas por 15,4 millones de agricultores en 29 países (James, 2010). Los cultivos GM que se usan en la agricultura global son principalmente soya, algodón, maíz y colza, que expresan transgenes derivados de bacterias y que confieren resistencia a insectos lepidópteros (RIL) o tolerancia a algunos herbicidas (TH), como glifosato y glufosinato de amonio. Las primeras variedades transgénicas contenían un solo transgen de interés, o evento simple, mientras que las variedades actuales expresan varios transgenes, o eventos apilados, que en algunos casos confieren resistencia a diferentes especies de insectos lepidópteros y coleópteros, así como tolerancia a dos tipos diferentes de herbicidas. Según Agrobio (2009), para el año 2009 se sembraron en Colombia, 35.671 hectáreas de cultivos GM de algodón, maíz, clavel y rosas. Maíz y algodón se sembraron en los departamentos de Sucre, Cesar, Córdoba, Huila y Tolima. Solo maíz en los departamentos de Antioquia, Valle del cauca, Meta, Cundinamarca y Santander, y clavel y rosas en el departamento de Cundinamarca. Las variedades transgénicas de maíz y algodón, expresan las características RIL y TH, como eventos simples o como eventos apilados. En el caso de clavel y rosa, se trata de genotipos que expresan el color azul. Desde la academia se ha tratado de organizar el debate sobre la adopción de los cultivos GM, alrededor del análisis ponderado de los riegos biológicos y los beneficios ambientales y económicos. Los riesgos biológicos se definen por los posibles efectos negativos sobre el consumidor humano o sobre el ambiente en que se liberan. Los beneficios ambientales tienen que ver con los efectos de la reducción en el uso de agroquímicos (insecticidas y herbicidas), y los beneficios económicos con la reducción en las perdidas debidas al ataque de insectos y a la competencia de malezas, así como a la reducción de los costos de producción. El debate debe considerar también, que las herramientas desarrolladas para la transferencia de genes entre diferentes organismos, facilitan la apropiación de los recursos genéticos vía derechos de propiedad intelectual. Apropiarse de este conocimiento y ponerlo a jugar al lado de sus intereses, es un asunto vital para los países biodiversos como Colombia.', 'en_US'),
(3756, 'Performance of insect-resistant Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt)-expressing aspens under semi-natural field conditions including natural herbivory in Sweden. ', 'Conservation of forest-dependent amphibians is dependent on finding a balance between timber management and species’ habitat requirements. To examine the effect of short-term vegetative regrowth post-harvesting on amphibian habitat use, we studied the response of eight species (four forest specialists and four habitat generalists) to four forestry treatments (partial harvest, clearcut with coarse woody debris [CWD] removed, clearcut with CWD retained, and uncut control) over a 6-year period, using replicated experimental treatments in Maine, USA. Forest amphibians showed a strong negative response to clearcutting through the duration of the study, regardless of the presence of CWD, but only during the post-breeding season (i.e., summer). The spring breeding migrations of wood frogs and spotted salamanders to experimental pools were not affected by the forestry treatments. The use of partial cut treatments by forest amphibians differed between animals emerging from experimental pools (i.e., juvenile wood frogs and spotted salamanders), and animals originating from outside the experimental arrays (i.e., adults of all forest species, juvenile wood frogs and spotted salamanders). Animals emerging from our experimental pools showed no difference in the use of control and partial cut treatments, while all the other animals preferred control plots. In addition, we found a modest increase in the use of clearcuts over the 6 years following harvesting by juvenile wood frogs from experimental pools (from an 8-fold difference between forest and clearcut treatments in the first year post-clearcutting to a 3-fold difference during years 3–5). However, this increase was not significantly associated with vegetation regrowth. Forest specialists declined in abundance in all treatments beginning 2–3 years post-disturbance. Despite high yearly fluctuations in abundance, there was a shift in relative abundance towards habitat generalist species, most notably green frog juveniles. Most habitat generalist species were not affected by clearcutting or vegetative regrowth; however, we observed a lower use of clearcut treatments by green frogs starting 3 years post-harvesting, perhaps due to an increase in habitat resistance to movements associated with vegetative regrowth. These general patterns of habitat use were overridden at the local scale by site-specific variation in the use of forestry treatments, most evident in emigrating juvenile wood frogs. From a management standpoint, implementing broad silvicultural prescriptions could be a viable strategy in extensively forested landscapes, but local variation in habitat use has to be acknowledged when managers focus on a limited area.', 'en_US'),
(3757, 'The spread of illegal transgenic cotton varieties in India: biosafety regulation, monopoly, and enforcement. ', 'The spread of illegal transgenic cotton varieties in India: biosafety regulation, monopoly, and enforcement.', 'en_US'),
(3758, 'Evaluating environmental risks of genetically modified crops: ecological harm criteria for regulatory decision-making. ', 'European risk managers currently face substantial difficulty in evaluating the risks of genetically modified (GM) crops for biodiversity. This difficulty is not primarily due to a lack of scientific data (the data are abundant) but rather to a lack of clear criteria for determining what represents environmental harm. Establishing criteria that define harm is not a scientific process but a process of analysing and implementing policy requirements, and policy-makers and regulatory authorities need to define what is to be regarded harmful based on existing legislation. This process is a necessary pre-condition for the environmental risk assessment of GM crops. The present paper proposes a systematic approach on how harm can be explicitly and operationally defined for decision-making. Most legal frameworks require the protection of the environment or more specifically of biodiversity from harm. It follows that the first step in defining harm should be the characterisation of protection goals; protection goals are those valued environmental resources that should not be harmed by GM crop cultivation or by any other agricultural practice. In a second step, one must derive scientifically measurable entities (so-called assessment endpoints) on the basis of the protection goals. Such endpoints are required for regulatory decision-making because they specify what deserves protection. They furthermore allow quantifiable predictions of adverse changes during environmental risk assessment. Definitions of harm also require decisions on which environmental changes should be regarded as relevant and thus represent unacceptable harm. Using a case study comparing different effects of various pest management practices, the current paper proposes an approach that differentiates between intended effects that are acceptable and harmful unintended effects. By making explicit the assumptions underlying policy choices, the ecological criteria proposed here may result in a better and more transparent evaluation of the probability of harm to biodiversity due to the cultivation of GM crops. The paper can help risk managers improve decision-making by providing methods for deriving operational decision-making criteria from policy objectives.', 'en_US'),
(3759, 'Tritrophic interactions among Bt maize, an insect pest and entomopathogens: effects on development and survival of western corn rootworm. ', 'Agricultural systems often provide a model for testing ecological hypotheses, while ecological theory can enable more effective pest management. One of the best examples of this is the interaction between host-plant resistance and natural enemies. With the advent of crops that are genetically modified to produce insecticidal toxins from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), a new form of host-plant resistance has been introduced to agroecosystems. How Bt crops interact with natural enemies, especially insect pathogens in below-ground systems, is not well understood, but provides a unique opportunity to study below-ground tritrophic interactions. In this study, we used two species of entomopathogenic fungi and three species of entomopathogenic nematodes to determine how this community of soil-borne natural enemies might interact with Bt maize (event 59122, expressing the insecticidal protein Cry34/35Ab1) to affect survival and development of western corn rootworm (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera), which is an obligate root feeder and a serious pest of maize. We ran two experiments, one in a greenhouse and one in a growth chamber. Both experiments consisted of a fully crossed design with two maize treatments (Bt maize and non-Bt maize) and two entomopathogen treatments (present or absent). The community of entomopathogens significantly increased mortality of western corn rootworm, and Bt maize increased larval developmental time and mortality. Entomopathogens and Bt maize acted in an independent and additive manner, with both factors increasing the mortality of western corn rootworm. Results from this study suggest that entomopathogens may complement host-plant resistance from Bt crops.', 'en_US'),
(3760, 'A molecular approach to combat spatio-temporal variation in insecticidal gene (Cry1ac) expression in cotton. ', 'Spatio-temporal expression of an insecticidal gene (Cry1Ac) in pre existing transgenic lines of transgenic cotton was studied. Seasonal decline in expression of Cry1Ac differed significantly among different cotton lines tested in the field conditions. The leaves of the Bt cotton plants were found to have the highest levels of toxin expression followed by squares, bolls, anthers and petals. Expression of the gene decreased consistently with the age of plants. Toxin expression in fruiting parts was not enough to confer full resistance against bollworms. The reduction in efficacy of transgenic cotton plants late in the season was attributed to reduction in promoter activity. For this purpose, ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) small subunit (rbcS) promoter was isolated from Gossypium arboreum that was further cloned upstream of an insecticidal gene (Cry1Ac) in expression vector pCAMBIA 1301. A local cotton cultivar NIAB-846 was transformed with Cry1Ac driven by rbcS promoter. The same cotton cultivar was also transformed with Cry1Ac gene driven by 35SCaMV promoter to compare the expression pattern of insecticidal gene under two different promoters. The results showed that rbcS is an efficient promoter to drive the expression of Cry1Ac gene consistent throughout the life of cotton plant as compared to 35S promoter. The use of tissue specific promoter is also useful for addressing the biosafety issues as the promoter activity is limited to green parts of plants, hence no gene expression in roots, cotton seed and other cotton products and by products.', 'en_US'),
(3761, 'Ecological risk assessments for transgenic crops with combined insect-resistance traits: the example of Bt11 x MIR604 maize. ', 'Transgenic insect-resistant crops produced by combining two or more insect-control traits through conventional breeding are increasingly common in commercial cultivation. In some countries, cultivation of crops with combined insect-control traits may require additional regulatory risk assessments, even though all component traits are approved for cultivation, which requires, among other things, a demonstration that cultivation of the crop poses negligible ecological risk; that is, there is a low probability of harm to non-target organisms. In such situations, cultivation of a crop with the combined traits will also pose negligible ecological risk, provided two hypotheses hold: the potency of the proteins when combined is not greater than when separate; and the exposure of non-target organisms to the proteins is not greater when the traits are combined than when they are separate. The ecological risk assessment for combined traits may be based on tests of these hypotheses, comprising tests for synergism between the proteins in species sensitive to the proteins, and comparisons of protein production in plants with the combined traits and plants with the separate component traits. Tests of these hypotheses are illustrated using Bt11 × MIR604 maize, which produces the insecticidal proteins Cry1Ab and mCry3A. Results from synergism studies using European corn borer and Colorado potato beetle, and from comparisons of the concentrations of Cry1Ab and mCry3A in Bt11 × MIR604, Event Bt11 and Event MIR604 maize, indicate that risks to non-target organisms from the cultivation of Bt11 × MIR604 maize are no greater than from the cultivation of Event Bt11 or Event MIR604 maize.', 'en_US'),
(3762, 'Transgenic Bt maize: farmers'' perceptions, refuge compliance and reports of stem borer resistance in South Africa. ', 'Based on surface area, South Africa is currently ranked the eighth in planting genetically modified (GM) crops in the world. Bt maize (MON810) has been grown to control lepidopterous stem borers in South Africa since its first release during 1998. The first report of resistance of the African maize stem borer, Busseola fusca (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and poor compliance to refuge requirements that could have contributed to resistance development prompted this study which was done in the main maize production area of South Africa. Objectives were to evaluate farmer’s perceptions of the regulatory aspects guiding the planting of Bt maize and refugia and how it was applied between 1998 and 2010. This study involved 105 commercial farmers covering 87 778 ha of maize throughout the main maize production region on the Highveld of South Africa. A questionnaire survey was conducted and addressed signing of technical agreements upon purchasing GM seed, refuge compliance, pest management practices, perceived benefits and risks relating to Bt maize. Compliance with refugia requirements was low especially during the initial 5–7 years after release. An alarmingly high number of farmers applied insecticides as preventative sprays on Bt maize and refugia irrespective of stem borer infestation levels. A large proportion of farmers reported significant borer infestation levels on Bt maize and between 5% and 93% farmers in all districts applied insecticides to Bt maize to limit borer damage, indicating that the occurrence of resistance is more wide-spread in the country than previously thought. This study shows irresponsible management of GM crop technology by farmers, chemical and seed companies. Concerns and perceptions of farmers in South Africa seem to differ from those in Europe. South African farmers perceived little, if any, negative impact on non-target organisms and remain positive about the technology in spite of resistance development. Other studies indicated that European farmers were concerned about these aspects. A shared concern, however, was consumer acceptance of GM maize and marketability on the export market.', 'en_US'),
(3763, 'Food preference in the woodlouse Porcellio scaber (Isopoda) in a choice test with fungicidal GM wheat. ', 'Two independent food choice experiments were conducted in the laboratory to study the effects of four transgenic and five non-GM fungicidal wheat varieties on the food selection behaviour of the woodlouse Porcellio scaber. In general, woodlice did not avoid GM wheat as a food source and we detected no adverse effects of GM wheat on the non-target P. scaber. Moreover, we found a food preference of the woodlouse for one of the four GM varieties, Pm3b1, but not for the closely related GM Pm3b2 or for their non-GM isolines. We assume either a pleiotropic effect like lower lignin content or more suitable leaf litter coverage by microorganisms that may cause this preference and thus increasing palatability or digestibility. We discuss that this effect is ecologically not relevant.', 'en_US'),
(3764, 'Confinement of gene drive systems to local populations: a comparative analysis.', 'Mosquito-borne diseases such as malaria and dengue fever pose a major health problem through much of the world. One approach to disease prevention involves the use of selfish genetic elements to drive disease-refractory genes into wild mosquito populations. Recently engineered synthetic drive systems have provided encouragement for this strategy; but at the same time have been greeted with caution over the concern that transgenes may spread into countries and communities without their consent. Consequently, there is also interest in gene drive systems that, while strong enough to bring about local population replacement, are unable to establish themselves beyond a partially isolated release site, at least during the testing phase. Here, we develop simple deterministic and stochastic models to compare the confinement properties of a variety of gene drive systems. Our results highlight several systems with desirable features for confinement—a high migration rate required to become established in neighboring populations, and low-frequency persistence in neighboring populations for moderate migration rates. Single-allele underdominance and single-locus engineered underdominance have the strongest confinement properties, but are difficult to engineer and require a high introduction frequency, respectively. Toxin–antidote systems such as Semele, Merea and two-locus engineered underdominance show promising confinement properties and require lower introduction frequencies. Killer-rescue is self-limiting in time, but is able to disperse to significant levels in neighboring populations. We discuss the significance of these results in the context of a phased release of transgenic mosquitoes, and the need for characterization of local ecology prior to a release.', 'en_US'),
(3765, 'European discussion forum on transgenic tree biosafety.', '', 'en_US'),
(3766, 'Estimating the effects of Cry1F Bt-maize pollen on non-target Lepidoptera using a mathematical model of exposure.', 'Summary\r\n1. In farmland biodiversity, a potential risk to the larvae of non-target Lepidoptera from genetically modified (GM) Bt-maize expressing insecticidal Cry1 proteins is the ingestion of harmful amounts of pollen deposited on their host plants. A previous mathematical model of exposure quantified this risk for Cry1Ab protein. We extend this model to quantify the risk for sensitive species exposed to pollen containing Cry1F protein from maize event 1507 and to provide recommendations for management to mitigate this risk.\r\n2. A 14-parameter mathematical model integrating small- and large-scale exposure was used to estimate the larval mortality of hypothetical species with a range of sensitivities, and under a range of simulated mitigation measures consisting of non-Bt maize strips of different widths placed around the field edge.\r\n3. The greatest source of variability in estimated mortality was species sensitivity. Before allowance for effects of large-scale exposure, with moderate within-crop host-plant density and with no mitigation, estimated mortality locally was &lt;10% for species of average sensitivity. For the worst-case extreme sensitivity considered, estimated mortality locally was 99•6% with no mitigation, although this estimate was reduced to below 40% with mitigation of 24-m-wide strips of non-Bt maize. For highly sensitive species, a 12-m-wide strip reduced estimated local mortality under 1•5%, when within-crop host-plant density was zero. Allowance for large-scale exposure effects would reduce these estimates of local mortality by a highly variable amount, but typically of the order of 50-fold.\r\n4. Mitigation efficacy depended critically on assumed within-crop host-plant density; if this could be assumed negligible, then the estimated effect of mitigation would reduce local mortality below 1% even for very highly sensitive species.\r\n5. Synthesis and applications.&amp;#8194;Mitigation measures of risks of Bt-maize to sensitive larvae of non-target lepidopteran species can be effective, but depend on host-plant densities which are in turn affected by weed-management regimes. We discuss the relevance for management of maize events where cry1F is combined (stacked) with a herbicide-tolerance trait. This exemplifies how interactions between biota may occur when different traits are stacked irrespective of interactions between the proteins themselves and highlights the importance of accounting for crop management in the assessment of the ecological impact of GM plants.', 'en_US'),
(3767, 'Consequences of intra-specific metabolic diversity in plants for soil organisms: a baseline approach for evaluating ecological effects of genetic modifications.', '', 'en_US'),
(3768, 'Capitalizing on deliberate, accidental, and GM-driven environmental change caused by crop modification.', 'The transgenic traits associated with the majority of commercial genetically modified crops are focused on improving herbicide and insecticide management practices. The use of the transgenic technology in these crops and the associated chemistry has been the basis of studies that provide evidence for occasional improvement in environmental benefits due to the use of less residual herbicides, more targeted pesticides, and reduced field traffic. This is nicely exemplified through studies using Environmental Impact Quotient (EIQ) assessments. Whilst EIQ evaluations may sometimes illustrate environmental benefits they have their limitations. EIQ evaluations are not a surrogate for Environmental Risk Assessments and may not reflect real environmental interactions between crops and the environment. Addressing the impact cultivated plants have on the environment generally attracts little public attention and research funding, but the introduction of GM has facilitated an expansion of research to address potential environmental concerns from government, NGOs, industry, consumers, and growers. In this commentary, some evidence from our own research and several key papers that highlight EIQ assessments of the impact crops are having on the environment are presented. This information may be useful as an education tool on the potential benefits of GM and conventional farming. In addition, other deliberate, accidental, and GM-driven benefits derived from the examination of GM cropping systems is briefly discussed.', 'en_US'),
(3769, 'Scientific standards and the regulation of genetically modified insects. ', 'Experimental releases of genetically modified (GM) insects are reportedly being evaluated in various countries, including Brazil, the Cayman Islands (United Kingdom), France, Guatemala, India, Malaysia, Mexico, Panama, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, the United States of America, and Vietnam. GM mosquitoes (Aedes aegypti) have already been released for field trials into inhabited areas in the Cayman Islands (2009–?), Malaysia (2010–2011), and Brazil (2011–2012). Here, we assess the regulatory process in the first three countries permitting releases (Malaysia, US, and the Cayman Islands) in terms of pre-release transparency and scientific quality. We find that, despite 14 US government–funded field trials over the last 9 years (on a moth pest of cotton), there has been no scientific publication of experimental data, and in only two instances have permit applications been published. The world\\\\\\''s first environmental impact statement (EIS) on GM insects, produced by US authorities in 2008, is found to be scientifically deficient on the basis that (1) most consideration of environmental risk is too generic to be scientifically meaningful; (2) it relies on unpublished data to establish central scientific points; and (3) of the approximately 170 scientific publications cited, the endorsement of the majority of novel transgenic approaches is based on just two laboratory studies in only one of the four species covered by the document. We find that it is not possible to determine from documents publically available prior to the start of releases if obvious hazards of the particular GM mosquitoes released in Malaysia, the Cayman Islands, and Brazil received expert examination. Simple regulatory measures are proposed that would build public confidence and stimulate the independent experimental studies that environmental risk assessments require. Finally, a checklist is provided to assist the general public, journalists, and lawmakers in determining, from documents issued by regulators prior to the start of releases, whether permit approval is likely to have a scientifically high quality basis.', 'en_US'),
(3770, 'Science, regulation, and precedent for genetically modified insects.', 'The author has no financial interest in companies doing commercial GM exploitation. The author has no patents related to GM insects. The author is involved in the direction of academic research contracts through Imperial College London with WHO on international guidance for the deployment and implementation of GM mosquitoes for malaria and dengue control. Other partners in that WHO research contract do have commercial interests in GM insect exploitation. In 2012, the author will become involved in the direction of academic research on the design and implementation of risk analysis approaches relevant to GM mosquitoes as part of a research contract from the Gates Foundation to Imperial College London. The author is a member of a working group on GM mosquitoes for WHO and the FNIH. The author is a member of a working group on GM insects for the European Food Safety Authority. The working groups are unpaid, but cover travelling costs when needed for occasional meetings of the groups. The author is a College appointed director of a company called Agra-CEAS Consulting Ltd, which is part owned by Imperial College London, which has produced some reports on various aspects of GM technology in agriculture for various clients (such as the European Commission), but the author has not had any day to day involvement in any of those reports. The author acts as an academic reviewer for various national and international research funders evaluating research proposals that sometimes include GM technologies. No funding bodies or other organisations have influenced this manuscript.', 'en_US'),
(3771, 'The stability and degradation of dietary DNA in the gastrointestinal tract of mammals: implications for horizontal gene transfer and the biosafety of GMOs.', 'The fate of dietary DNA in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of animals has gained renewed interest after the commercial introduction of genetically modified organisms (GMO). Among the concerns regarding GM food, are the possible consequences of horizontal gene transfer (HGT) of recombinant dietary DNA to bacteria or animal cells. The exposure of the GIT to dietary DNA is related to the extent of food processing, food composition, and to the level of intake. Animal feeding studies have demonstrated that a minor amount of fragmented dietary DNA may resist the digestive process. Mammals have been shown to take up dietary DNA from the GIT, but stable integration and expression of internalized DNA has not been demonstrated. Despite the ability of several bacterial species to acquire external DNA by natural transformation, in vivo transfer of dietary DNA to bacteria in the intestine has not been detected in the few experimental studies conducted so far. However, major methodological limitations and knowledge gaps of the mechanistic aspects of HGT calls for methodological improvements and further studies to understand the fate of various types of dietary DNA in the GIT.', 'en_US'),
(3772, 'Compositional comparative analysis between insect-resistant rice (Oryza sativa L.) with a synthetic cry1Ac gene and its non-transgenic counterpart. ', 'Composition analysis of genetically modified crops is an important consideration in the assessment of food safety. Agb0101 (Oryza sativa L. cv. Nakdongbyeo) developed in Korea is a form of insect-resistant rice that contains a synthetic truncated cry1Ac gene isolated from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), and demonstrates high resistance to rice leaf folder under field conditions. Nutrients, anti-nutritive components, and secondary metabolites of Agb0101 were analyzed and compared with those of its non-transgenic counterpart. The amounts of proximates, amino acids, fatty acids, minerals, vitamins, trypsin inhibitors, phytic acid, and ferulic acid in brown rice from Agb0101 were comparable to those of its non-transgenic counterpart. Statistical comparisons to test for equivalence showed that all the analyzed components in the insect-resistant rice plants were substantially equivalent to those of its non-transgenic counterpart. Furthermore, most of the measured values from Agb0101 were within the range of values reported for other commercial rice varieties.', 'en_US'),
(3773, 'Susceptibility to the Cry1F toxin of field populations of Sesamia nonagrioides (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Mediterranean maize cultivation regions. ', 'Maize hybrids expressing the Cry1F toxin provide efficient control of lepidopteran pests. The Mediterranean corn borer, Sesamia nonagrioides (Lefèvre), is one of the most damaging pests of maize in the Mediterranean basin. In this work we firstly determined the efficacy of maize hybrids expressing the Cry1F toxin (event TC1507) to control neonates of S. nonagrioides. Leaf tissue feeding bioassays revealed that TC1507 maize is highly effective against this pest, and the percentage mortality obtained was comparable to that obtained with a Cry1Ab-expressing maize hybrid (Compa CB, event 176), which is known to be highly efficacious against S. nonagrioides. Secondly, interpopulation variation in the susceptibility to the Cry1F insecticidal protein was established for nine field-collected populations of S. nonagrioides (three Spanish, two French, two Italian, one Greek, and one Turkish). Estimates of the susceptibility of larvae to the Cry1F toxin showed low variability in lethal concentrations and growth inhibition concentrations among field populations. Moreover, no significant differences were found when they were grouped by geographical areas [Western Mediterranean (Spain and France) versus Eastern Mediterranean (Italy, Greece and Turkey)] or by history of exposure to Bt plants (Spanish vs. other populations). Therefore, the minor differences found in field populations can be attributed to natural variation in sensitivity to Cry1F. The importance of establishing baselines of susceptibility for resistance detection is discussed. Future changes in susceptibility of S. nonagrioides populations to Cry1F could be documented based on this baseline data.', 'en_US'),
(3774, 'Interactions between Bt-expressing tomato and non-target insects: the aphid Macrosiphum euphorbiae and its natural enemies. ', 'Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner toxins are highly specific in terms of insect pest targeted. For example, Cry3Bb is active against Coleoptera. As a consequence, in the framework of using genetically modified plants expressing different Bt toxins in sustainable agriculture, there is a growing interest about the impact of these crops on the environment and on non-target organisms. The effects of genetically modified Bt-tomato plants expressing the toxin Cry3Bb on the aphid Macrosiphum euphorbiae (Thomas) and its natural enemies, the generalist predator Macrolophus caliginosus Wagner and the endoparasitoid wasp Aphidius ervi Haliday, were assessed under laboratory conditions. No significant differences between performance of M. euphorbiae were observed on genetically modified tomato plants (line UC82Bt) with respect to their near-isogenic control line (line UC82). Immunoassays did not detect Cry3Bb protein in M. euphorbiae developing on Bt-expressing tomato plants. Similarly, no significant differences were found on the longevity and prey consumption of M. caliginosus when fed aphids reared on UC82Bt or on UC82. Moreover, the genetic modification did not affect the attractiveness of uninfested tomato plants toward A. ervi. It is therefore concluded that Cry3Bb-expressing tomato plants did not show any acute adverse effects on the biological parameters of the non-target herbivore M. euphorbiae or its natural enemies, M. caliginosus and A. ervi, under laboratory conditions.', 'en_US'),
(3775, 'Navigating a critical juncture for sustainable weed management.', 'Agricultural weed management has become entrenched in a single tactic—herbicide—resistant crops—and needs greater emphasis on integrated practices that are sustainable over the long term. In response to the outbreak of glyphosate-resistant weeds, the seed and agrichemical industries are developing crops that are genetically modified to have combined resistance to glyphosate and synthetic auxin herbicides. This technology will allow these herbicides to be used over vastly expanded areas and will likely create three interrelated challenges for sustainable weed management. First, crops with stacked herbicide resistance are likely to increase the severity of resistant weeds. Second, these crops will facilitate a significant increase in herbicide use, with potential negative consequences for environmental quality. Finally, the short-term fix provided by the new traits will encourage continued neglect of public research and extension in integrated weed management. Here, we discuss the risks to sustainable agriculture from the new resistant crops and present alternatives for research and policy.', 'en_US'),
(3776, 'New hope for dedicated genetically engineered bioenergy feedstocks? ', 'The unique regulatory requirements and costs of genetic engineering (GE) are likely to inhibit commercialization of dedicated bioenergy crops due to the relatively small current market. Two recent regulatory approvals for GE plants, however, may signal a shift in policy and an opening of a door to a streamlined federal regulatory pathway for commercialization for non-food plants. The change, however, may shift regulatory battles from the federal to the state and local level, as each state has independent authority to regulate plants under respective noxious weed/plant protection statutes. This previously dormant state regulatory power could result in even more complex barriers to commercialization of GE bioenergy crops--replacing the regulatory delays embedded in the federal system with regulatory chaos at the state and local level.', 'en_US'),
(3777, 'Metabolomic plasticity in GM and non-GM potato leaves in response to aphid herbivory and virus infection. ', 'An important aspect of ecological safety of genetically modified (GM) plants is the evaluation of unintended effects on plant–insect interactions. These interactions are to a large extent influenced by the chemical composition of plants. This study uses NMR-based metabolomics to establish a baseline of chemical variation to which differences between a GM potato line and its parent cultivar are compared. The effects of leaf age, virus infection, and aphid herbivory on plant metabolomes were studied. The metabolome of the GM line differed from its parent only in young leaves of noninfected plants. This effect was small when compared to the baseline. Consistently, aphid performance on excised leaves was influenced by leaf age, while no difference in performance was found between GM and non-GM plants. The metabolomic baseline approach is concluded to be a useful tool in ecological safety assessment.', 'en_US'),
(3778, 'Increased frequency of pink bollworm resistance to Bt toxin Cry1Ac in China.', 'Transgenic crops producing insecticidal proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) kill some key insect pests, but evolution of resistance by pests can reduce their efficacy. The main approach for delaying pest adaptation to Bt crops uses non-Bt host plants as “refuges” to increase survival of susceptible pests. To delay evolution of pest resistance to transgenic cotton producing Bt toxin Cry1Ac, the United States and some other countries have required refuges of non-Bt cotton, while farmers in China have relied on “natural” refuges of non-Bt host plants other than cotton. The “natural” refuge strategy focuses on cotton bollworm (Helicoverpa armigera), the primary target of Bt cotton in China that attacks many crops, but it does not apply to another major pest, pink bollworm (Pectinophora gossypiella), which feeds almost entirely on cotton in China. Here we report data showing field-evolved resistance to Cry1Ac by pink bollworm in the Yangtze River Valley of China. Laboratory bioassay data from 51 field-derived strains show that the susceptibility to Cry1Ac was significantly lower during 2008 to 2010 than 2005 to 2007. The percentage of field populations yielding one or more survivors at a diagnostic concentration of Cry1Ac increased from 0% in 2005–2007 to 56% in 2008–2010. However, the median survival at the diagnostic concentration was only 1.6% from 2008 to 2010 and failure of Bt cotton to control pink bollworm has not been reported in China. The early detection of resistance reported here may promote proactive countermeasures, such as a switch to transgenic cotton producing toxins distinct from Cry1A toxins, increased planting of non-Bt cotton, and integration of other management tactics together with Bt cotton.', 'en_US');
INSERT INTO `bibliography_bibliography_i18n` (`id`, `title`, `abstract`, `locale`) VALUES
(3779, 'How useful are the concepts of familiarity, biological integrity, and ecosystem health for evaluating damages by GM crops?', 'In the discussion about consequences of the release of genetically modified (GM) crops, the meaning of the term “environmental damage” is difficult to pin down. We discuss some established concepts and criteria for understanding and evaluating such damages. Focusing on the concepts of familiarity, biological integrity, and ecosystem health, we argue that, for the most part, these concepts are highly ambiguous. While environmental damage is mostly understood as significant adverse effects on conservation resources, these concepts may not relate directly to effects on tangible natural resources but rather to parameters of land use or ecological processes (e.g., the concept of biological integrity). We stress the importance of disclosing the normative assumptions underlying damage concepts and procedures for the evaluation of damages by GM crops. A conceptualization of environmental damage should precede its operationalization. We recommend an unambiguous definition for damage developed earlier and recommend that evaluation criteria be based on this. However, a general damage definition cannot replace case-specific operationalization of damage, which remains an important future challenge.', 'en_US'),
(3780, 'Gene flow and simulation of transgene dispersal from hybrid poplar plantations. ', 'Summary\r\n• Gene flow is a primary determinant of potential ecological impacts of transgenic trees. However, gene flow is a complex process that must be assessed in the context of realistic genetic, management, and environmental conditions.\r\n• We measured gene flow from hybrid poplar plantations using morphological and genetic markers, and developed a spatially explicit landscape model to simulate pollination, dispersal, establishment, and mortality in the context of historical and projected disturbance and land-use regimes.\r\n• Most pollination and seed establishment occurred within 450 m of the source, with a very long tail. Modeled transgene flow was highly context-dependent, strongly influenced by the competitive effects of transgenes, transgenic fertility, plantation rotation length, disturbance regime, and spatial and temporal variation in selection. The use of linked infertility genes even if imperfect, substantially reduced transgene flow in a wide range of modeled scenarios. The significance of seed and vegetative dispersal was highly dependent on plantation size.\r\n• Our empirical and modeling studies suggest that transgene spread can be spatially extensive. However, the amount of spread is highly dependent on ecological and management context, and can be greatly limited or prevented by management or mitigation genes such as those that cause sexual infertility.', 'en_US'),
(3781, 'Feral genetically modified herbicide tolerant oilseed rape from seed import spills: are concerns scientifically justified?', 'One of the concerns surrounding the import (for food and feed uses or processing) of genetically modified herbicide tolerant (GMHT) oilseed rape is that, through seed spillage, the herbicide tolerance (HT) trait will escape into agricultural or semi-natural habitats, causing environmental or economic problems. Based on these concerns, three EU countries have invoked national safeguard clauses to ban the marketing of specific GMHT oilseed rape events on their territory. However, the scientific basis for the environmental and economic concerns posed by feral GMHT oilseed rape resulting from seed import spills is debatable. While oilseed rape has characteristics such as secondary dormancy and small seed size that enable it to persist and be redistributed in the landscape, the presence of ferals is not in itself an environmental or economic problem. Crucially, feral oilseed rape has not become invasive outside cultivated and ruderal habitats, and HT traits are not likely to result in increased invasiveness. Feral GMHT oilseed rape has the potential to introduce HT traits to volunteer weeds in agricultural fields, but would only be amplified if the herbicides to which HT volunteers are tolerant were used routinely in the field. However, this worst-case scenario is most unlikely, as seed import spills are mostly confined to port areas. Economic concerns revolve around the potential for feral GMHT oilseed rape to contribute to GM admixtures in non-GM crops. Since feral plants derived from cultivation (as distinct from import) occur at too low a frequency to affect the coexistence threshold of 0.9% in the EU, it can be concluded that feral GMHT plants resulting from seed import spills will have little relevance as a potential source of pollen or seed for GM admixture. This paper concludes that feral oilseed rape in Europe should not be routinely managed, and certainly not in semi-natural habitats, as the benefits of such action would not outweigh the negative effects of management.', 'en_US'),
(3782, 'Determination of insecticidal Cry1Ab protein in soil collected in the final growing seasons of a nine-year field trial of Bt-maize MON810.', 'Cultivation of genetically modified maize (Bt-maize; event MON810) producing recombinant &amp;#948;-endotoxin Cry1Ab, leads to introduction of the insecticidal toxin into soil by way of root exudates and plant residues. This study investigated the fate of Cry1Ab in soil under long-term Bt-maize cultivation in an experimental field trial performed over nine growing seasons on four South German field sites cultivated with MON810 and its near isogenic non Bt-maize variety. Cry1Ab protein was quantified in soil (&lt;2 mm size) using an in-house validated ELISA method. The assay was validated according to the criteria specified in European Commission Decision 2002/657/EC. The assay enabled quantification of Cry1Ab protein at a decision limit (CC&amp;#945;) of 2.0 ng Cry1Ab protein g&amp;#8722;1 soil with analytical recovery in the range 49.1–88.9%, which was strongly correlated with clay content. Cry1Ab protein was only detected on one field site at concentrations higher than the CC&amp;#945;, with 2.91 and 2.57 ng Cry1Ab protein g&amp;#8722;1 soil in top and lower soil samples collected 6 weeks after the eighth growing season. Cry1Ab protein was never detected in soil sampled in the spring before the next farming season at any of the four experimental sites. No experimental evidence for accumulation or persistence of Cry1Ab protein in different soils under long-term Bt-maize cultivation can be drawn from this field study.', 'en_US'),
(3783, 'Effects of ionic strength and sesquioxides on adsorption of toxin of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki on soils. ', 'Chemical reactions and fate of the toxins of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) in the soil environment are causing increasing concerns due to the large-scale cultivation of transgenic Bt plants. In this study, the effect of ionic strength (0–1 000 mmol kg&amp;#8722;1) adjusted by NaCl or CaCl2 on adsorption of Bt toxin by a lateritic red soil, a paddy soil and these soils after chemical removal of organic-bound or free Fe and Al oxides, as well as by pure minerals (goethite, hematite and gibbsite) which are widespread in these soils, were studied. The results indicated that when the supporting electrolyte was NaCl, the adsorption of Bt toxin by the lateritic red soil and paddy soil increased rapidly until the ionic strength reached 250 mmol kg&amp;#8722;1 and then gradually slowed down with the increase of ionic strength; while in case the supporting electrolyte was CaCl2, the adsorption of Bt toxin enhanced significantly at low ionic strength (&lt; 10 mmol kg&amp;#8722;1) and then decreased as the ionic strength increased. The adsorption of Bt toxin by the tested minerals and soils after the removal of organic-bound or free Fe and Al oxides also increased with increasing ionic strength controlled by NaCl. Removing organic-bound Fe and Al oxides obviously increased the adsorption of Bt toxin in the tested soils. Differently, removing free Fe and Al oxides increased the Bt adsorption by the paddy soil, but decreased the adsorption by the lateritic red soil. The study indicated that the varieties of ionic strength and the presence of Fe and Al oxides affected the adsorption of Bt toxin by the soils, which would contribute to the further understanding of the fate of Bt toxin in the soil environment and provide references for the ecological risk assessment of transgenic Bt plants.', 'en_US'),
(3784, 'Modeling the impact of cross-pollination and low toxin expression in corn kernels on adaptation of European corn borer (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) to transgenic insecticidal corn.', 'We used a mathematical model with processes reflecting larval mortality resulting from feeding on cross-pollinated ears or Bt ears of corn to analyze the risk of evolution of Cry-toxin resistance in Ostrinia nubilalis (Hübner). In the simulations, evolution of resistance was delayed equally well by both seed mixtures and blocks with the same proportion of refuge. Our results showed that Bt-pollen drift has little impact on the evolution of Bt resistance in O. nubilalis. However, low-toxin expression in ears of transgenic corn can reduce the durability of transgenic corn expressing single toxin, whereas durability of pyramided corn hybrids is not significantly reduced. The toxin-survival rate of heterozygous larvae in Bt-corn ears expressing one or two proteins has more impact on evolution of Bt resistance in O. nubilalis than the parameters related to larval movement to Bt ears or the toxin-survival rate of the homozygous susceptible larvae in Bt ears. Bt resistance evolves slower when toxin mortality is distributed across the first two larval stadia than when only the first instars are susceptible to Bt toxins. We suggest that stakeholders examine toxin-survival rates for insect pests and take into account that instars may feed on different parts of Bt corn.', 'en_US'),
(3785, 'Effect of transgenic Bt cotton on bioactivities and nutrients in rhizosphere soil.', 'The influence of transgenic Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) cotton (BtXincai1) and its corresponding nontransgenic isoline (Xincai1) on the microorganisms, enzyme activity, and nutrient content of rhizosphere soil was studied through experiments in potted plants. The calcareous drab soil samples were collected (0–15 cm deep) from an experimental field in Shanxi Agricultural University (China) in 2005. The pots were categorized in different groups with replicates for each variety (transgenic BtXincai1 and general Xincai1). The rhizosphere soil samples were collected at different growth periods (seedling, bud, flowering, peak boll, boll opening, and harvest). The Bt protein and other microbial properties in the soil samples were determined by using selected methods (material and methods session). The results demonstrated that the concentration of the Bt protein in the rhizosphere soil of BtXincai1 reached a peak at 56.14 ng g&amp;#8722;1 during the flowering period. However, the Bt protein would not continuously accumulate in the soil. The rhizosphere soil of BtXincai1 was more suitable for the growth and proliferation of bacteria and fungi but it had no significant impact on the number of actinomycetes. BtXincai1 had some inhibitory effects on alkaline phosphatase activity in the rhizosphere soil, and it might promote dehydrogenase activity during the blooming period. However, it had no significant influence on protease, urease, or sucrase activities. Further, it had no significant impact on the contents of organic matter, total nitrogen, available nitrogen, or potassium in rhizosphere soil. It could significantly decrease the content of available phosphorus during the flowering period. Based on this study, the sensitive reactions of microorganisms and the activities of alkaline phosphatase and dehydrogenase might be considered as three potential indexes for assessing the risk posed by transgenic Bt cotton to soil ecology.', 'en_US'),
(3786, 'Assessing the role of non-cotton refuges in delaying Helicoverpa armigera resistance to Bt cotton in West Africa.', 'Non-cotton host plants without Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxins can provide refuges that delay resistance to Bt cotton in polyphagous insect pests. It has proven difficult, however, to determine the effective contribution of such refuges and their role in delaying resistance evolution. Here, we used biogeochemical markers to quantify movement of Helicoverpa armigera moths from non-cotton hosts to cotton fields in three agricultural landscapes of the West African cotton belt (Cameroon) where Bt cotton was absent. We show that the contribution of non-cotton hosts as a source of moths was spatially and temporally variable, but at least equivalent to a 7.5% sprayed refuge of non-Bt cotton. Simulation models incorporating H. armigera biological parameters, however, indicate that planting non-Bt cotton refuges may be needed to significantly delay resistance to cotton producing the toxins Cry1Ac and Cry2Ab. Specifically, when the concentration of one toxin (here Cry1Ac) declined seasonally, resistance to Bt cotton often occurred rapidly in simulations where refuges of non-Bt cotton were rare and resistance to Cry2Ab was non-recessive, because resistance was essentially driven by one toxin (here Cry2Ab). The use of biogeochemical markers to quantify insect movement can provide a valuable tool to evaluate the role of non-cotton refuges in delaying the evolution of H. armigera resistance to Bt cotton.', 'en_US'),
(3787, 'Remaining dynamics of Cry1Ab proteins from transgenic Bt corn in soil.', 'In order to evaluate the effect of inoculated bacteria: Azospirillum lipoferum, Pseudomonas putida and Azotobacter chroococcum on yield and yield components of corn cultivars SC-704 an experiment factorial under randomized complete block design with 4 replications was carried out in Astara, 2009. Seed treatments include inoculation with each of the bacteria as a single triple, double, triple and non-inoculated (control), respectively. The results showed that application of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria increased plant height, grain yield, grain weight, biological yield and all characters was significant between the bacteria at (p&lt;0/05). Also, the results revealed that increasing the number of bacterial inoculation average yield and yield components increased as the highest yield in the three inoculation treatments Azotobacter, Pseudomonas and Azospirillum to rate 13281 kg ha-1 and test it reliable to attendance control to rate 7853 kg ha-1 obtained and the other relationship. Inoculation treatments showed a lot of difference.', 'en_US'),
(3788, 'Current progress of biosafe selectable markers in plant transformation. ', 'Plant transformation plays a crucial role in modern plant breeding system, leading to the improvement of agronomical traits and fundamental studies of plant science. To develop an efficient and reliable transformation approach, selectable marker is the prerequisite and extremely useful in enabling successful transformation. A number of environmental safe and user-friendly selectable marker genes have been exploited in recent years and utilized to mitigate as a result of concerns for bio-security. Considering the different function of each of the marker genes, these are generally divided into four groups namely positive, visual, negative and pathogen-based, respectively, depending on their selection mechanism. This review describes the mechanism of each of these categories of selected markers and summarizes the current progress in genetic transformation, helping researchers to make better judgement on the choice of selectable markers and accelerate their potential application during plant genetic transformation.', 'en_US'),
(3789, 'Short communication. Estimation of cross-fertilization rate in safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.).', 'Safflower is a promising oilseed crop for the production of specialty oils in the Mediterranean area. Oil quality traits such as high oleic acid content, high linoleic acid content, high saturated fatty acid content, or high gamma-tocopherol content have been developed in this crop. The traits are controlled by the genotype of the developing embryo and therefore they are influenced by the presence of foreign pollen. The objective of this research was to study the rate of cross-fertilization in safflower using the high oleic acid trait as a biochemical marker. An experiment in which each high oleic plant was surrounded by 24 low oleic acid plants was conducted over three environments in the same location at Córdoba, Spain. The average rate of cross-fertilization in the three environments was 5.7, 12.1, and 13.2%, though higher frequencies up to 35.9% were detected at the single-plant level and up to 58.3% at the single-head level. The low average outcrossing frequencies identified in this research indicate no need for large isolation distances between conventional cultivars and cultivars with special oil characteristics. However, the occurrence of a significant outcrossing rate should be taken into consideration if transgenic safflower is to be cultivated close to conventional safflower or in areas of distribution of wild Carthamus species.', 'en_US'),
(3790, 'Composition of transgenic soybean seeds with higher gamma-linolenic acid content is equivalent to that of conventional control.', '&amp;#947;-Linolenic acid (GLA) has been used as a general nutraceutical for pharmacologic applications, particularly in the treatment of skin conditions such as eczema. Four transgenic soybean lines that produce GLA at high yields (4.21% of total fatty acids, up to 1002-fold) were generated through the stable insertion of the Delta-6-fatty acid desaturase gene isolated from Borago officinalis into the genome of a conventional soybean cultivar. As part of the safety assessment of genetically engineered crops, the transgenic soybean seeds were compared with their parental soybean seeds (nontransgenic) by applying the principle of substantial equivalence. Compositional analyses were conducted by measuring the fatty acids, proximate analysis (moisture, crude protein, crude fat, carbohydrates, TDF, and ash contents), amino acids, lectins, and trypsin inhibitor activity. The present results showed that the specific transgenic cultivar studied was similar to the conventional control.', 'en_US'),
(3791, 'Role of transgenic plants in agriculture and biopharming.', 'At present, environmental degradation and the consistently growing population are two main problems on the planet earth. Fulfilling the needs of this growing population is quite difficult from the limited arable land available on the globe. Although there are legal, social and political barriers to the utilization of biotechnology, advances in this field have substantially improved agriculture and human life to a great extent. One of the vital tools of biotechnology is genetic engineering (GE) which is used to modify plants, animals and microorganisms according to desired needs. In fact, genetic engineering facilitates the transfer of desired characteristics into other plants which is not possible through conventional plant breeding. A variety of crops have been engineered for enhanced resistance to a multitude of stresses such as herbicides, insecticides, viruses and a combination of biotic and abiotic stresses in different crops including rice, mustard, maize, potato, tomato, etc. Apart from the use of GE in agriculture, it is being extensively employed to modify the plants for enhanced production of vaccines, hormones, etc. Vaccines against certain diseases are certainly available in the market, but most of them are very costly. Developing countries cannot afford the disease control through such cost-intensive vaccines. Alternatively, efforts are being made to produce edible vaccines which are cheap and have many advantages over the commercialized vaccines. Transgenic plants generated for this purpose are capable of expressing recombinant proteins including viral and bacterial antigens and antibodies. Common food plants like banana, tomato, rice, carrot, etc. have been used to produce vaccines against certain diseases like hepatitis B, cholera, HIV, etc. Thus, the up- and down-regulation of desired genes which are used for the modification of plants have a marked role in the improvement of genetic crops. In this review, we have comprehensively discussed the role of genetic engineering in generating transgenic lines/cultivars of different crops with improved nutrient quality, biofuel production, enhanced production of vaccines and antibodies, increased resistance against insects, herbicides, diseases and abiotic stresses as well as the safety measures for their commercialization.', 'en_US'),
(3792, 'The Norwegian gene technology act -- in an international perspective.', 'The Norwegian Gene Technology Act came into force on 1 September 1993. It is an implementation of the EU directives EEC90/219 (Contained use) and EEC90/220 (Deliberate release) according to the economic agreement between Norway and EU (EEA). The directive on deliberate release has since been replaced by a new directive, EU/1829/2003. The main difference between the old directive and this new one from 2003 is that EU has placed a limit for content of GM traces in products and that if the product contains more than 2% of a genetically modified ingredient, the product must be labelled that it contains GMO.\r\n\r\nThe Norwegian Gene Technology Act builds on the same principles as the OECD Guidelines and the EU directives: that any use or release GMOs should not have any adverse effects on health nor environment. In addition to these two requirements, the Norwegian Act has three more: (1) the GMO should promote sustainable development, (2) the GMO should be ethically justifiable and (3) the GMO should be beneficial to society. The question is whether these extra criteria make it more difficult to get a permission under the Act in Norway, or whether they may indeed promote a GMO that fulfils the extra criteria and hence may allow a different type of product to be released in Norway than elsewhere?\r\n', 'en_US'),
(3793, 'Transgenic potatoes for potato cyst nematode control can replace pesticide use without impact on soil quality.', 'Current and future global crop yields depend upon soil quality to which soil organisms make an important contribution. The European Union seeks to protect European soils and their biodiversity for instance by amending its Directive on pesticide usage. This poses a challenge for control of Globodera pallida (a potato cyst nematode) for which both natural resistance and rotational control are inadequate. One approach of high potential is transgenically based resistance. This work demonstrates the potential in the field of a new transgenic trait for control of G. pallida that suppresses root invasion. It also investigates its impact and that of a second transgenic trait on the non-target soil nematode community. We establish that a peptide that disrupts chemoreception of nematodes without a lethal effect provides resistance to G. pallida in both a containment and a field trial when precisely targeted under control of a root tip-specific promoter. In addition we combine DNA barcoding and quantitative PCR to recognise nematode genera from soil samples without microscope-based observation and use the method for nematode faunal analysis. This approach establishes that the peptide and a cysteine proteinase inhibitor that offer distinct bases for transgenic plant resistance to G. pallida do so without impact on the non-target nematode soil community.', 'en_US'),
(3794, 'A built-in mechanism to mitigate the spread of insect-resistance and herbicide-tolerance transgenes into weedy rice populations.', 'Background:  The major challenge of cultivating genetically modified (GM) rice (Oryza sativa) at the commercial scale is to prevent the spread of transgenes from GM cultivated rice to its coexisting weedy rice (O. sativa f. spontanea). The strategic development of GM rice with a built-in control mechanism can mitigate transgene spread in weedy rice populations.\r\n\r\nMethodology/Principal Findings:  An RNAi cassette suppressing the expression of the bentazon detoxifying enzyme CYP81A6 was constructed into the T-DNA which contained two tightly linked transgenes expressing the Bt insecticidal protein Cry1Ab and the glyphosate tolerant 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (EPSPS), respectively. GM rice plants developed from this T-DNA were resistant to lepidopteran pests and tolerant to glyphosate, but sensitive to bentazon. The application of bentazon of 2000 mg/L at the rate of 40 mL/m2, which is approximately the recommended dose for the field application to control common rice weeds, killed all F2 plants containing the transgenes generated from the Crop-weed hybrids between a GM rice line (CGH-13) and two weedy rice strains (PI-63 and PI-1401).\r\n\r\nConclusions/Significance:  Weedy rice plants containing transgenes from GM rice through gene flow can be selectively killed by the spray of bentazon when a non-GM rice variety is cultivated alternately in a few-year interval. The built-in control mechanism in combination of cropping management is likely to mitigate the spread of transgenes into weedy rice populations.', 'en_US'),
(3795, 'Application of omics technologies for environmental risk assessment of genetically modified plants: Arabidopsis and modified defence mechanisms as a model study.', 'As a result of rapid biotechnological developments in the past century, genetically modified (GM) crops were developed and introduced for field application. Despite the advantages of these crops and the professional marketing policies, people also started questioning the safety of GM products for humans and the environment. In response to that, scientific advisory bodies (such as COGEM, The Netherlands Commission on Genetic Modification) suggested that, among other measurements, an environmental risk assessment (ERA) of a GM crop should be done before introduction into the field. Ecological knowledge about the possible effects was considered a vital component of that assessment. In 2007, the Dutch Government initiated the ERGO (Ecology Regarding Gene-modified Organisms) research programme to generate a scientific basis for a sound ecological risk analysis. The main objective of the ERGO-programme was to develop ecology-based guidelines for how to best assess the possible ecological side-effects of new GM crops. Also the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) recognised the interaction of a GM crop with non-target organisms as a potential environmental risk and therefore they provided guidelines for selection of a range of non-target organisms and phenotypes to be studied under laboratory conditions as part of a GM crop risk assessment study. These guidelines formed the basis for the ERGO research themes.\r\n\r\nParallel to the new biotechnological developments leading to the introduction of GM plants into the environment, new analytical techniques were also introduced that revolutionized the field of analytical biology. High throughput analytical platforms, collectively called omics technologies, created opportunities for untargeted analysis of cellular components with biological and ecological functions including mRNAs (transcriptomics), proteins (proteomics) and metabolites (metabolomics).  These analytical platforms were recommended by several researchers in the field of GM food/feed safety for the analysis and comparison of a GM product with its safe counterpart. However, EFSA failed to formulate concrete rules about the application of the omics platforms in GM risk assessment perhaps due to a lack of consensus about where and how to employ these technologies in the whole ERA of GM plants. In the ERGO programme, exploration of the potential to apply omics platforms for ERA of GM crops was therefore one of the objectives.\r\n\r\nThis PhD thesis originates from one of the ERGO themes, assessment of the effect of genetic modification on non-target organisms. Under this theme with three PhD students a multidisciplinary approach was pursued to provide guidelines for how to evaluate non-target effects of GM crops altered in insect resistance using ecological methods as well as omics platforms. In this PhD thesis, I set out to find solutions for some of the limitations in the application of omics platforms such as the lack of a statistical method to evaluate the differences between GM vs. wild type plants at the omics level and the question what would be a fair reference for the judgement about the effect of genetic modification. As a model for the evaluation of the impact of genetic modification on the omics phenotype we used three insect defence traits that we introduced using genetic modification into several different Arabidopsis thaliana accessions. The first trait, indirect defence, was the production of the volatile (E)-nerolidol which has been shown to attract predatory mites that can control spider mites. The other two traits were direct defence traits and consisted of overexpression of the transcription factor (MYB28) to boost aliphatic glucosinolate biosynthesis and the introduction of Cry1from Bacillus thuringiensis encoding the Bt toxin that is effective against lepidopteran insects (caterpillars). As a reference for comparison of the effects of the genetic modification, we used a panel of wild type A. thaliana accessions that were selected in this study and publically available data of different accessions and individuals of a RIL population that together constitute the baseline, the variation present in the non-GM background germplasm.', 'en_US'),
(3796, 'Effects of conventionally bred and Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) maize varieties on soil microbial biomass and activity.', 'Genetically modified (GM) maize containing genes from the soil bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) was cultivated on 29% of the total maize production area worldwide in 2009. Most studies to date compare Bt-maize varieties with their near isogenic lines; however, there is little information on the variability of conventional maize breeding lines and how the effects of Bt varieties are ranked within. In our study on the potential risks of Bt-maize varieties, we analyzed tissue quality and compared the effects of ten conventional and GM maize varieties on soil microbiological properties in a replicated climate chamber experiment. All maize varieties were cultivated twice in the same soil microcosm. Shoot yields and soluble C in leaf tissue of Bt varieties were higher than the ones of non-Bt. Soil dehydrogenase activity was reduced by 5% under Bt varieties compared to non-Bt, while most of the other soil microbial properties (soil microbial biomass, basal respiration) showed no significant differences between Bt and non-Bt varieties. The leaves and roots of one Bt variety were decomposed to a greater extent than the ones of its near isogenic line; the conventional breeding lines also showed higher values. Changes in crop and soil parameters were found when comparing the first and the second crops, but the effects of repeated cropping were the same for all tested varieties. For the studied parameters, the variation among non-Bt-maize varieties was similar to the difference between Bt and non-Bt varieties.', 'en_US'),
(3797, 'Comparison of salt stress resistance genes in transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana indicates that extent of transcriptomic change may not predict secondary phenotypic or fitness effects.', 'Engineered abiotic stress resistance is an important target for increasing agricultural productivity. There are concerns, however, regarding possible ecological impacts of transgenic crops. In contrast to the first wave of transgenic crops, many abiotic stress resistance genes can initiate complex downstream changes. Transcriptome profiling has been suggested as a comprehensive non-targeted approach to examine the secondary effects. We compared phenotypic and transcriptomic effects of constitutive expression of genes intended to confer salt stress tolerance by three different mechanisms: a transcription factor, CBF3/DREB1a; a metabolic gene, M6PR, for mannitol biosynthesis; and the Na+/H+ antiporter, SOS1. Transgenic CBF3, M6PR and SOS1 Arabidopsis thaliana were grown together in the growth chamber, greenhouse and field. In the absence of salt, M6PR and SOS1 lines performed comparably with wild type; CBF3 lines exhibited dwarfing as reported previously. All three transgenes conferred fitness advantage when subjected to 100 mm NaCl in the growth chamber. CBF3 and M6PR affected transcription of numerous abiotic stress-related genes as measured by Affymetrix microarray analysis. M6PR additionally modified expression of biotic stress and oxidative stress genes. Transcriptional effects of SOS1 in the absence of salt were smaller and primarily limited to redox-related genes. The extent of transcriptome change, however, did not correlate with the effects on growth and reproduction. Thus, the magnitude of global transcriptome differences may not predict phenotypic differences upon which environment and selection act to influence fitness. These observations have implications for interpretation of transcriptome analyses in the context of risk assessment and emphasize the importance of evaluation within a phenotypic context.', 'en_US'),
(3798, 'Integrating diverse scientific and practitioner knowledge in ecological risk analysis: a case study of biodiversity risk assessment in South Africa.', 'Ecological risk analysis (ERA) is a structured evaluation of threats to species, natural communities, and ecosystem processes from pollutants and toxicants and more complicated living stressors such as invasive species, genetically modified organisms, and biological control agents. Such analyses are typically conducted by a narrowly-focused group of scientific experts using technical information. We evaluate whether the inclusion of more diverse experts and practitioners in ERA improved the ecological knowledge base about South African biodiversity and the potential impacts of genetically modified (GM) crops. We conducted two participatory ERA workshops in South Africa, analyzing potential impacts of GM maize on biodiversity. The first workshop involved only four biological scientists, who were joined by 18 diverse scientists and practitioners in the second, and we compared the ERA process and results between the two using descriptive statistics and semi-structured interview responses. The addition of diverse experts and practitioners led to a more comprehensive understanding of biological composition of the agro-ecosystem and a more ecologically relevant set of hazards, but impeded hazard prioritization and the generation of precise risk assessment values. Results suggest that diverse participation can improve the scoping or problem formulation of the ERA, by generating an ecologically robust set of information on which to base the subsequent, more technical risk assessment. The participatory ERA process also increased the transparency of the ERA by exposing the logic and rationale for decisions made at each step.', 'en_US'),
(3799, 'How to manage the impact of gene flow on oilseed rape grain quality? Simulation case studies of three contrasted landscapes.', 'Grain admixture due to gene flow of oilseed rape (OSR) could be economically damaging. Different strategies are currently used or proposed to manage grain quality, ranging from homogenisation at the silo level to tactical decision rules at the field level. The relevance of these general strategies was appraised in the case of genetically modified (GM) OSR in three contrasted regions in Europe: Beauce Blésoise (France), Schleswig-Flensburg (Germany), and Fife (UK). Field patterns, crop allocation and agricultural practices were derived from existing datasets and complementary field surveys. Then a gene flow simulator was used to assess how the local contexts influenced the grain admixture between GM and non-GM OSR (without separation measures). The simulations showed that grain admixtures in fields followed a leptokurtic curve. While, however, the worst case was similar in the three regions, the median differed greatly depending on contextual factors such as the size and arrangement of fields. Grain admixture very rarely exceeded the 0.9% threshold for non-GM products if assessed at the level of the silo, at which the grains from all non-GM crops were combined, while maintaining crops below the threshold at the field level required management of a few high risk situations. Analysing grain admixtures and commercial risks at different decision levels (field, silo) demonstrated the efficiency of “flexible” as opposed to “rigid” measures, but this technical analysis did not take other criteria like regulatory issues into account.', 'en_US'),
(3800, 'Preliminary sampling of arthropod fauna of transgenic cassava in confined field trial.', 'Water (Basin and pitfall) and sweepnet traps were used to ascertain the population dynamics of the arthropod fauna of transgenic cassava in a confined field trial (CFT) at National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI), Umudike, Nigeria. The trial took place from August to November, in 2009 and February to July, in 2010 to identify the major arthropods associated with the crop and to monitor changes in their populations for effective management. Trapped arthropods were sorted and identified by means of a hand lens and a taxonomic key and their relative abundance determined. Most of the order (seven out of the eight recorded) were trapped in the basin and sweepnet traps. Twenty families and numerous mostly unidentified genera and species were collected during the sampling period. Isoptera were the most abundant group, most of which were trapped while foraging and prospecting for nectar, mate, oviposition site, or were accidentally caught. This was followed by Coleoptera and Orthoptera. The least abundant order was Spirostreptida. Basin traps capture the highest number of arthropods of diverse families, followed by pitfall then sweepnet. A lower arthropod weekly mean abundance was recorded in 2009 (129.55) than in 2010 (132.08).', 'en_US'),
(3801, 'GM wheat development in China: current status and challenges to commercialization.', 'Genetic modification facilitates research into fundamental questions of plant functional genomics and provides a route for developing novel commercial varieties. In 2008, significant financial resources were supplied by the Chinese government for research and development (R&amp;D) into genetic modification of the major crop species. This project was aimed at providing an opportunity for crop improvement while accentuating the development of a safe, precise, and effective wheat genetic transformation system suitable for commercialization. The focus here is on one of the key crops included in this project, wheat, to provide an insight into the main transformation methods currently in use, the target traits of major importance, and the successful applications of wheat genetic improvement in China. Furthermore, the biosafety and regulatory issues of major concern and the strategies to produce ‘clean’ transgenic wheat plants will also be discussed. This commentary is intended to be a helpful insight into the production and commercialization of transgenic wheat in China and to put these activities into a global context.', 'en_US'),
(3802, 'Effect of plant population and fertilizer levels on Cry 1 protein content in transgenic Bt cotton.', 'The field experiment was conducted during kharif  2008 and 2009 at Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana to study the effect of various plant populations and fertilizer levels on Bt toxin content in Bt cotton. The results showed that Bt toxins levels were not significantly affected by plant population at all  stages of crop growth. However, Bt toxin level increased with increased fertilizer doses at all stages of the crop growth. Significantly higher Bt toxins were recorded in 150 per cent RDF as compared to RDF at 60 and 90 DAS during 2009 and 90 DAS during 2008.                                                                                                                    ', 'en_US'),
(3803, 'Relationships among persistence of Bacillus thuringiensis and cowpea trypsin inhibitor proteins, microbial properties and enzymatic activities in rhizosphere soil after repeated cultivation with transgenic cotton. ', 'We evaluated the effect of transgenic cottons (Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) and Bt with cowpea trypsin inhibitor (Bt–CpTI)) on soil ecosystems after three and four years of growth. The persistence and the relationships among insecticidal crystal proteins 1Ac (Cry1Ac) and cowpea trypsin inhibitor (CpTI) proteins derived from transgenic cottons, microbial properties, and enzymatic activities in the rhizosphere soil were investigated in the repeated cultivation experiment. The Cry1Ac and CpTI proteins persisted in the rhizosphere soil of transgenic cotton, whereas no proteins were detected in the rhizosphere soil of non-transgenic cotton. The persistence of CpTI inhibited the degradation of Cry1Ac protein in the rhizosphere soil of Bt–CpTI cotton. Repeated measures analysis of variance indicated that the year of cultivation, the variety of cotton, the transgenic trait, and their interactions significantly influenced the microbial properties and the enzymatic activities in rhizosphere soil. Overall, the repeated cultivation of transgenic cotton had significantly negative effects on the microbial properties and the enzymatic activities in rhizosphere soil compared to those in the rhizosphere soil of non-transgenic cotton.', 'en_US'),
(3804, 'Global regulatory burden for field testing of genetically modified trees.', 'Field trials are widely known to be essential for understanding the value and adaptability of trees produced via conventional and transgenic biotechnologies. However, obtaining permission for transgenic field trials is often considered to be very difficult in many countries. To understand the extent of regulatory requirements around the world and the burdens they impose, we surveyed 36 scientists and practitioners from 20 different countries who had experience or direct knowledge of regulatory compliance with field trials of transgenic trees. Results showed that permits and monitoring were universally required, and that public disclosure of field trial locations was required in three quarters of countries. Other major findings were that: separate approvals for different constructs, tree species, and trial locations were required in more than three quarters of the countries; characterization of each transgene insertion event was required as part of the application in four fifths of countries; and the application process itself was perceived as the largest single burden. Regulatory tiers that differentiate different kinds of transgenic trees based on perceived risk were present in only one fifth of countries. The data confirm the widespread perception among scientists that the costs and burdens of conducting field trials with transgenic trees are nearly universal substantial impediments to scientific and breeding progress.', 'en_US'),
(3805, 'Bt-cotton: refuge in seed-mix -- some clarifications on its need and viability.', 'This note has reference to the correspondence: ‘Bt cotton: refuge in mixed bag’ by Muralimohan and Srinivasa . In fact, their article itself was in response to an earlier correspondence entitled ‘Bt resistance in Helicoverpa species: Indian policy needs urgent revision’ by Hanur, in which the author has advocated ‘refuge in mixed bag’. Since Muralimohan and Srinivasa have raised certain concerns and opined against the use of ‘mixed bag’, I have made an attempt to address their concerns, clarify certain doubts and also explain the need for this approach.', 'en_US'),
(3806, 'Characterization of maize allergens -- MON810 vs. its non-transgenic counterpart.', 'One of the main concerns about genetically modified foods and their potential impacts on human health is that the introduction of a new/ altered gene may putatively alter the expression of others, namely endogenous allergens. We intended to evaluate, and to compare, using quantitative real time RT-PCR technique, the expression of 5 already known maize allergens (Zea m14, Zea m25, Zea m27kD, 50kD Zein and trypsin inhibitor) in MON 810 vs. its non-transgenic counterpart, throughout seed development (10, 16 and 23 days after pollination). We have shown that none of the tested allergen genes presented differential expression, with statistic significance, along all tested seed development stages, in MON810 vs. its conventional counterpart.\r\n\r\nWe have also used bidimensional gel electrophoresis followed by Western blotting with plasma from two maize allergic subjects to characterize their immunologic responses against MON 810 vs. its non-transgenic control. Immunoreactive spots were characterized by MS.\r\n\r\nWe have identified fourteen new IgE-binding proteins present in both transgenic and non-transgenic maize.', 'en_US'),
(3807, 'Infertility resulting from transgenic I-PpoI male Anopheles gambiae in large cage trials.', 'Objectives: Anopheles gambiae is the primary vector of malaria in sub-Saharan Africa and is a potential target of genetic control programs. We determined the capacity of male A. gambiae created by germline transformation to introduce infertility into stable age-distribution populations. We also determined effects of the transgenes on life history.\r\n\r\nMethods: Stable age-distribution populations of A. gambiae mosquitoes were established in large indoor cages. Male mosquitoes carrying an I-PpoI homing endonuclease gene were introduced at ×5 and ×10 release rates where they competed with target male mosquitoes for matings. Similar trials were conducted in small cages with an additional ×1 release level.\r\n\r\nResults: Infertility was successfully introduced into all target populations. In supporting experiments, complete female infertility was observed in all strains and species of the A. gambiae complex to which transgenic males were mated. Life history experiments demonstrated that reductions in I-PpoI male vigor exist in the form of reduced adult male emergence, longevity and competitiveness.\r\n\r\nDiscussion: A. gambiae I-PpoI males are capable of introducing high levels of infertility in target populations in indoor cage trials. This was accomplished despite losses of vigor resulting from the HEG transgene. These results motivate further trials of sexually I-PpoI A. gambiae in outdoor cage and field trials.', 'en_US'),
(3808, 'Impact of Bt transgenic cottons and insecticides on target and non-target insect pests, natural enemies and seed cotton yield in India.', 'Genetically engineered cottons expressing ä-endotoxins from Bacillus thuringiensis have been adopted on a largescale worldwide. Therefore, we studied the efficacy of Bt cottons for the management of bollworms, their effects on nontarget insects, and seedcotton yield under insecticide protected and unprotected conditions. Helicoverpa armigera and Earias vittella damage was significantly lower in Bt than in non-Bt cottons, while no significant differences were observed in egg-laying by H. armigera. The populations of major non-target sucking insect pests such as Amrasca biguttula biguttula, Bemisia tabaci, Aphis gossypii, Oxycarenus laetus, Dysdercus koenigii and Nezara viridula and the generalist predators, viz Cheilomenes sexmaculatus, Chrysopa spp., and spiders did not differ significantly between Bt and non-Bt cottons. Insecticide application resulted in resurgence of cotton aphid and whitefly, possibly because of elimination of natural enemies or better growth of plants uder protected conditions. Abundance of bollworms, non-target pests, and generalist predators was significantly greater before insecticide sprays than after insecticide application, except in a few cases. Bollworm damage was lower and seedcotton yields higher in Bt than in non-Bt cottons. The present studies indicated that Bt cotton hybrids are effective for the management of bollworms and yield more, and do not have any adverse effects on the abundance of generalist predators.', 'en_US');
INSERT INTO `bibliography_bibliography_i18n` (`id`, `title`, `abstract`, `locale`) VALUES
(3809, 'Wetland and riparian plant communities at risk of invasion by transgenic herbicide-resistant Agrostis spp. in central Oregon.', 'Creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera) and redtop (A. gigantea) are introduced turfgrasses that are naturalized throughout the northern U.S. Interest in creeping bentgrass has risen following the 2003 escape of a genetically modified (GM), herbicide-resistant cultivar near Madras, Oregon. The objectives of this study were to characterize the floristic attributes of the plant communities associated with naturalized Agrostis populations in the Madras area, and to identify plant communities at risk of invasion by transgenic Agrostis. Vegetation data collected from 62 stratified random vegetation plots with and without A. stolonifera and A. gigantea identified 11 distinct plant communities. Community composition was strongly correlated with an indirect soil moisture index based on the wetland status of individual species. Results indicate that wetland plant communities are at the highest risk of invasion by transgenic A. stolonifera. Also, inter-specific gene flow to A. gigantea could affect additional habitats and plant communities where A. stolonifera is not found. Both A. stolonifera and A. gigantea were invasive in wetland and riparian settings in the Madras study area, and introducing glyphosate (e.g., Roundup®, Rodeo®) herbicide tolerance into these populations would eliminate the primary means of control for these species.', 'en_US'),
(3810, 'Contamination and management of resistance evolution to high-dose transgenic insecticidal crops.', 'For maize and cotton, transgenic varieties that express toxins derived from Bacillus thuriengensis (Bt) are now planted in several countries. To slow resistance evolution, the “high-dose/refuge” strategy is broadly implemented in which resistance is recessive and some fields (or areas within fields) are planted exclusively with Bt crops and other fields planted exclusively with non-transgenic refuge crops for susceptible insects. This strategy, however, could potentially be undermined by contamination. Here, we investigate general models of resistance evolution for high-dose events in which fields are contaminated due to the inadvertent mixing of seeds, volunteer plants, or pollen flow between Bt and non-Bt varieties coupled with seed-saving by farmers. Contamination of the refuge by Bt plants increases selection for resistance, thereby speeding resistance evolution. Nonetheless, in most situations this effect is small. Contamination of Bt fields by non-transgenic plants might be expected to have the opposite effect and always reduce the rate of resistance evolution. While this is often the case, it is not always so. If larvae move among plants within a field, then high movement rates may reverse the effect of contamination of Bt fields to slow resistance evolution. Furthermore, if the dispersal rates of adult females between Bt and refuge fields are low, then contamination of Bt fields may speed resistance. These results suggest that contamination has the potential to undermine the efficacy of the high-dose/refuge strategy, yet depending upon the particular pest and situation, contamination may not be a concern.', 'en_US'),
(3811, 'Genetically modified Bt maize lines containing cry3Bb1, cry1A105 or cry1Ab2 do not affect the structure and functioning of root-associated endophyte communities.', 'Transgenic maize expressing Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) insecticidal crystal (Cry) proteins may contribute to a decreased need for chemical pesticides, providing benefits for human health and the environment. However, there is public concern regarding the environmental safety of transgenic crops, which relates also to potential adverse effects on plant-microbe interactions by affecting the plant-associated, endophytic microflora. Thus, we compared the endophytic bacterial communities in plants of the three transgenic Bt maize lines MON89034 (cry3Bb1), MON88017 (cry1A.105 and cry2Ab2) and the stacked event MON88017xMON89034 (cry1A.105 and cry2Ab2, cry3Bb1), with those of the respective near-isogenic line, and with those in plants of three additional, conventional maize lines. The maize plants were grown in a containment system on two different soils which were commonly used for maize cultivation in Lower Austria.\r\n\r\nWe obtained 700 bacterial endophytes and characterized them regarding their phylogenetic diversity and specific plant growth promoting functions, including the production of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) deaminase and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA). Both the soil environment and the plant cultivar had an effect on the phylogenetic diversity of the endophytic communities, but there were no specific effects of the transgenic varieties. Diversity measures of endophytic isolates were not different in Bt- versus non-Bt maize varieties. A variable number of isolates showed ACC deaminase activity irrespective of the soil and plant cultivar. Generally, the number of high IAA producers appeared to be affected by the soil environment but not by the plant cultivar. Cultivation-independent profiling via terminal restriction fragment polymorphism (T-RFLP) analysis of the 16S rRNA gene revealed that maize root endophytes were differentially composed dependent on soil type and plant cultivar, but they were not discriminated with respect to Bt- versus non-Bt varieties. In conclusion, maize endophyte communities studied were highly diverse and showed a high potential for plant growth promotion, emphasizing their importance in modern agricultural systems irrespective of the maize cultivar, including Bt-modifications.', 'en_US'),
(3812, 'Field trials to evaluate effects of continuously planted transgenic insect-resistant cottons on soil invertebrates.', 'Impacts on soil invertebrates are an important aspect of environmental risk assessment and post-release monitoring of transgenic insect-resistant plants. The purpose of this study was to research and survey the effects of transgenic insect-resistant cottons that had been planted over 10 years on the abundance and community structure of soil invertebrates under field conditions. During 3 consecutive years (2006–2008), eight common taxa (orders) of soil invertebrates belonging to the phylum Arthropoda were investigated in two different transgenic cotton fields and one non-transgenic cotton field (control). Each year, soil samples were taken at four different growth stages of cotton (seedling, budding, boll forming and boll opening). Animals were extracted from the samples using the improved Tullgren method, counted and determined to the order level. The diversity of the soil fauna communities in the different fields was compared using the Simpson''s, Shannon''s diversity indices and evenness index. The results showed a significant sampling time variation in the abundance of soil invertebrates monitored in the different fields. However, no difference in soil invertebrate abundance was found between the transgenic cotton fields and the control field. Both sampling time and cotton treatment had a significant effect on the Simpson''s, Shannon''s diversity indices and evenness index. They were higher in the transgenic fields than the control field at the growth stages of cotton. Long-term cultivation of transgenic insect-resistant cottons had no significant effect on the abundance of soil invertebrates. Collembola, Acarina and Araneae could act as the indicators of soil invertebrate in this region to monitor the environmental impacts of transgenic plants in the future.', 'en_US'),
(3813, 'Challenges in the environmental monitoring of genetically modified plants.', 'According to genetic engineering legislation in Switzerland, the cultivation of genetically modified plants (GMPs) must be accompanied by environmental monitoring. This environmental monitoring is intended to identify any negative effects on the environment as early as possible so that necessary remedial measures can be taken. Accordingly, the authorities must be in a position to recognise changes in the environment and classify them as environmental harm. In our opinion, however, environmental monitoring is only partially suitable for reducing uncertainties which might still exist after the risk assessment of GMPs. From a scientific point of view, there are four difficulties with such decisions. The first three difficulties concern methodological limitations in scientific data collection. The fourth difficulty stems from the controversial assessment of the environmental effects of GMPs. Thus, it is nowadays unclear just which environmental changes are effectively to be evaluated as constituting harm. In this article, we analyse the four challenges and suggest possible strategies for countering them. Any remaining uncertainties should ideally be investigated during risk assessment before approval is granted. Regulatory authorities should recognise the limitations of environmental- monitoring programs for decision-making during cultivation of GMPs.', 'en_US'),
(3814, 'Evidence of reduced arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal colonization in multiple lines of Bt maize.', 'Premise of the study: Insect-resistant Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) maize is widely cultivated, yet few studies have examined the interaction of symbiotic arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) with different lines of Bt maize. As obligate symbionts, AMF may be sensitive to genetic changes within a plant host. Previous evaluations of the impact of Bt crops on AMF have been inconsistent, and because most studies were conducted under disparate experimental conditions, the results are difficult to compare.\r\n\r\nMethods: We evaluate AMF colonization in nine Bt maize lines, differing in number and type of engineered trait, and five corresponding near-isogenic parental (P) base hybrids in greenhouse microcosms. Plants were grown in 50% local agricultural soil with low levels of fertilization, and AMF colonization was evaluated at 60 and 100 d. Nontarget effects of Bt cultivation on AMF colonization were tested in a subsequently planted crop, Glycine max, which was seeded into soil that had been preconditioned for 60 d with Bt or P maize.\r\n\r\nKey results: We found that Bt maize had lower levels of AMF colonization in their roots than did the non-Bt parental lines. However, reductions in AMF colonization were not related to the expression of a particular Bt protein. There was no difference in AMF colonization in G. max grown in the Bt- or P-preconditioned soil.\r\n\r\nConclusions: These findings are the first demonstration of a reduction in AMF colonization in multiple Bt maize lines grown under the same experimental conditions and contribute to the growing body of knowledge examining the unanticipated effects of Bt crop cultivation on nontarget soil organisms.', 'en_US'),
(3815, 'Assessing compositional variability through graphical analysis and bayesian statistical approaches: case studies on transgenic crops.', 'New transgenic (GM) crops are subjected to extensive safety assessments that include compositional comparisons with conventional counterparts as a cornerstone of the process. The influence of germplasm, location, environment, and agronomic treatments on compositional variability is, however, often obscured in these pair-wise comparisons. Furthermore, classical statistical significance testing can often provide an incomplete and over-simplified summary of highly responsive variables such as crop composition. In order to more clearly describe the influence of the numerous sources of compositional variation we present an introduction to two alternative but complementary approaches to data analysis and interpretation. These include i) exploratory data analysis (EDA) with its emphasis on visualization and graphics-based approaches and ii) Bayesian statistical methodology that provides easily interpretable and meaningful evaluations of data in terms of probability distributions. The EDA case-studies include analyses of herbicide-tolerant GM soybean and insect-protected GM maize and soybean. Bayesian approaches are presented in an analysis of herbicide-tolerant GM soybean. Advantages of these approaches over classical frequentist significance testing include the more direct interpretation of results in terms of probabilities pertaining to quantities of interest and no confusion over the application of corrections for multiple comparisons. It is concluded that a standardized framework for these methodologies could provide specific advantages through enhanced clarity of presentation and interpretation in comparative assessments of crop composition.', 'en_US'),
(3816, 'Will they stay or will they go? The political influence of GM-averse importing companies on biosafety decision makers in Africa. ', 'Presumed but unproven trade risks are considered a significant factor in the reluctance of African countries to use potentially beneficial genetically modified (GM) crops. We model a threat from an importer to a local policy maker announcing an upcoming confined field trial of a GM crop as a dynamic game of incomplete information and illustrate our analysis with a stochastic simulation. The results show that provided the cost of threatening is small, and the cost of going out of the country is significant, the importer will threaten to go out and may effectively lower the probability of commercializing a GM crop.', 'en_US'),
(3817, 'Impact of gene stacking on gene flow: the case of maize.', 'To respect the European labelling threshold for the adventitious presence of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in food and feed, stakeholders mainly rely on real-time PCR analysis, which provides a measurement expressed as a percentage of GM-DNA. However, this measurement veils the complexity of gene flow, especially in the case of gene stacking. We have investigated the impact of gene stacking on adventitious GM presence due to pollen flow and seed admixture as well as its translation in terms of the percentage of GM-DNA in a non-GM maize harvest. In the case of varieties bearing one to four stacked events, we established a set of relationships between the percentage of GM kernels and the percentage of GM-DNA in a non-GM harvest as well as a set of relationships between the rate of seed admixture and the percentages of GM material in a non-GM harvest. Thanks to these relationships, and based on simulations with a gene flow model, we have been able to demonstrate that the number of events and the stacking structure of the emitting fields impact the ability of a non-GM maize producer to comply with given GM kernel or GM-DNA thresholds. We also show that a great variability in the rates of GM kernels, embryos and DNA results from seed admixture. Finally, the choice of a unit of measurement for a GM threshold in seed lots can have opposite effects on the ability of farmers to comply with a given threshold depending on whether they are crop or seed producers.', 'en_US'),
(3818, 'Bt rice expressing Cry1Ab does not stimulate an outbreak of its non-target herbivore, Nilaparvata lugens.', 'In this study, the non-target effects of Bt rice “KMD2” expressing a Cry1Ab protein on the performance of the brown planthopper (BPH), Nilaparvata lugens, over multiple generations were evaluated under laboratory and field conditions. In the laboratory, BPH was reared to observe the impact of the Bt rice as compared to its parental non-Bt cultivar Xiushui 11, while the population dynamics and oviposition performance of BPH were investigated in the field. The survival of BPH nymphs fed Bt and non-Bt rice did not differ significantly. The nymph developmental duration of BPH was significantly delayed by the Bt rice by comparison with the non-Bt rice for the 1st and 2nd but not the 4th generation. Most importantly, the fecundity of BPH on the Bt rice was significantly decreased in every generation when compared with the non-Bt rice. In the field investigations, the population density of BPH nymphs was significantly lower in the Bt rice field. However, the temporal pattern of population dynamics of BPH adults was similar between the Bt and non-Bt rice, presumably due to migratory interference of the adults. In the Bt rice field, the percentage of tillers with eggs and the number of eggs per tiller were also significantly lower from tillering to mature stage. Additionally, Cry1Ab protein could not be detected in guts from single BPH adults. In general, our results suggest that the Bt rice “KMD2” could not stimulate an outbreak of BPH.', 'en_US'),
(3819, 'Assessment of the health impact of GM plant diets in long-term and multigenerational animal feeding trials: a literature review.', 'The aim of this systematic review was to collect data concerning the effects of diets containing GM maize, potato, soybean, rice, or triticale on animal health. We examined 12 long-term studies (of more than 90 days, up to 2 years in duration) and 12 multigenerational studies (from 2 to 5 generations). We referenced the 90-day studies on GM feed for which long-term or multigenerational study data were available. Many parameters have been examined using biochemical analyses, histological examination of specific organs, hematology and the detection of transgenic DNA. The statistical findings and methods have been considered from each study. Results from all the 24 studies do not suggest any health hazards and, in general, there were no statistically significant differences within parameters observed. However, some small differences were observed, though these fell within the normal variation range of the considered parameter and thus had no biological or toxicological significance. If required, a 90-day feeding study performed in rodents, according to the OECD Test Guideline, is generally considered sufficient in order to evaluate the health effects of GM feed. The studies reviewed present evidence to show that GM plants are nutritionally equivalent to their non-GM counterparts and can be safely used in food and feed.', 'en_US'),
(3820, 'The structuring of GMO release and evaluation in EU law.', 'Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and their behavior in the environment are complex and can only be assessed if the different components are distinguished. This article examines, how by EU law the real causation processes from the GMO release to various endpoints are dissected, individually analysed and then again viewed in their entirety. In addition, the articles includes, how the intellectual process of assessment is divided into the steps of tiered generation, shared submission and structured evaluation of relevant knowledge. The framework proposed for such an examination allows to identify strengths and weaknesses of GMO risk assessment in the EU.', 'en_US'),
(3821, 'Changes in the prevalence of weed species in the major agronomic crops of the southern United States: 1994/1995 to 2008/2009.', 'Changes in the weed flora of cropping systems reflect the impacts of factors that create safe sites for weed establishment and facilitate the influx and losses to and from the soil seedbank. This analysis of the annual surveys of the Southern Weed Science Society documents changes in the weed flora of the 14 contiguous southern states since the advent of transgenic, herbicide-resistant crops. In 1994 and 2009, the top five weeds in corn were morningglories, Texas millet, broadleaf signalgrass, johnsongrass, and sicklepod; in this same period Palmer amaranth, smartweeds, and goosegrass had the greatest increases in importance in corn. In cotton, morningglories and nutsedges were among the top five most troublesome weeds in 1995 and 2009. Palmer amaranth, pigweeds, and Florida pusley were also among the five most troublesome species in 2009; the weeds with the largest increases in importance in cotton were common ragweed and two species with tolerance to glyphosate, Benghal dayflower and Florida pusley. In soybean, morningglories, nutsedges, and sicklepod were among the top five weed species in 1995 and 2009. Two species with glyphosate resistance, Palmer amaranth and horseweed, were the second and fourth most troublesome weeds of soybean in 2009. In wheat, the top four weeds in 2008 were the same as those in 1994 and included Italian ryegrass, wild garlic, wild radish, and henbit. Crop production in the southern region is a mosaic of various crop rotations, soil types, and types of tillage. During the interval between the surveys, the predominant change in weed management practices in the region and the nation was the onset and rapid dominance of the use of glyphosate in herbicide-resistant cultivars of corn, cotton, and soybean. Because of the correspondence between the effects of glyphosate on the respective weed species and the observed changes in the weed flora of the crops, it is likely the very broad use of glyphosate was a key component shaping the changes in weed flora. Only eight of the top 15 most troublesome weeds of cotton and soybean, the crops with the greatest use of glyphosate, were the same in 1995 and 2009. In contrast, in corn and wheat where adoption of glyphosate-resistant cultivars lags or is absent, 12 of the 15 most troublesome weeds were the same in 1994 and 2008. These findings show on a regional scale that weeds adapt to recurrent selection from herbicides, currently the predominant weed management tool. Future research should seek methods to hinder the rapid spread of herbicide-tolerant and evolution of herbicide-resistant weed species. As new tools are developed, research should focus on ways to preserve the efficacy of those tools through improved stewardship.', 'en_US'),
(3822, 'Competition of transgenic volunteer corn with soybean and the effect on western corn rootworm emergence.', 'Glyphosate-resistant (GR) volunteer corn has emerged as a problematic weed in cornsoybean rotational systems, partly because of the rapid increase in adoption of corn hybrids that contain traits for both glyphosate and insect resistance. Volunteer GR corn can decrease soybean yields. The objectives of this study were to quantify the impact of volunteer corn on soybean growth and yield and determine how volunteer corn densities affect western corn rootworm (WCR) emergence. Volunteer corn seed was hand-planted at targeted densities of 0.5, 2, 4, 8, 12, and 16 seeds m&amp;#8722;2 at soybean planting and 21 d after planting to evaluate both early- and late-emerging cohorts. WCR emergence was assessed with the use of field emergence traps placed over individual corn plants in the 0.5- and 16-plants-m&amp;#8722;2 plots in 2008 and 2009. In 2010, WCR emergence traps were also placed over individual and clumped volunteer corn plants at densities of two and eight plants m&amp;#8722;2. Soybean yield reductions ranged from 10 to 41% where early-emerging volunteer corn densities ranged from 0.5 to 16 plants m&amp;#8722;2. No soybean yield loss occurred with the late-emerging cohort of volunteer corn. Twice as many adult WCRs emerged from a single volunteer corn plant growing at densities of 8 and 16 plants m&amp;#8722;2, compared with plots containing 0.5 and 2 plants m&amp;#8722;2. These results demonstrate that controlling volunteer corn will not only prevent soybean yield loss, but also may reduce the risk of WCR larval survival after exposure to Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner derived) corn.', 'en_US'),
(3823, 'Two-year field study shows little evidence that PPO-transgenic rice affects the structure of soil microbial communities.', 'There is global concern about the environmental consequences associated with transgenic crops. Their effects on the soil ecosystem are of special interest when assessing ecological safety and integrity. Although many efforts have been made to develop crops genetically modified to have resistance to protoporphyrin oxidase (PPO)-inhibiting herbicides, little is known about their influence on soil microbial communities. We conducted a 2-year field study and an analysis via terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) to assess the impacts of PPO-transgenic rice on bacterial and fungal communities. In the first year we sampled the rhizosphere and surrounding bulk soil, while in the second year we sampled rhizosphere soil only. No differences were observed in the diversity indices and community composition of microbial communities between transgenic rice and its parental non-transgenic counterpart (cultivar Dongjin). Instead, community variation was strongly dependent on growth stage and year. Therefore, we observed no adverse effects by these crops of modified rice on the microbial community composition in paddy soils.', 'en_US'),
(3824, 'Commercializing genetically modified crops under EU regulations: objectives and barriers.', 'Agriculture faces serious problems in feeding 9 billion people by 2050: production must be increased and ecosystem services maintained under conditions for growing crops that are predicted to worsen in many parts of the world. A proposed solution is sustainable intensification of agriculture, whereby yields are increased on land that is currently cultivated, so sparing land to deliver other ecosystem services. Genetically modified (GM) crops are already contributing to sustainable intensification through higher yields and lower environmental impacts, and have potential to deliver further significant improvements. Despite their widespread successful use elsewhere, the European Union (EU) has been slow to introduce GM crops: decisions on applications to import GM commodities are lengthy, and decision-making on applications to cultivate GM crops has virtually ceased. Delayed import approvals result in economic losses, particularly in the EU itself as a result of higher commodity prices. Failure to grant cultivation approvals costs EU farmers opportunities to reduce inputs, and results in loss of agricultural research and development from the EU to countries such as the United States and China. Delayed decision-making in the EU ostensibly results from scientific uncertainty about the effects of using GM crops; however, scientific uncertainty may be a means to justify a political decision to restrict cultivation of GM crops in the EU. The problems associated with delayed decision-making will not improve until there is clarity about the EU’s agricultural policy objectives, and whether the use of GM crops will be permitted to contribute to achieving those objectives.', 'en_US'),
(3825, 'Gene technology regulation in Australia: a decade of a federal implementation of a statutory legal code in a context of constituent states taking divergent positions.', 'Gene technology is regulated in Australia by the Office of the Gene Technology Regulator (OGTR), a federal government agency with responsibility for managing health and environmental risks of GM organisms under the Gene Technology Act 2000. The OGTR liaises with other national agencies, governments of States and Territories of Australia and local councils. Current national risk management regulation is the result of three decades of experience with oversight of gene technology. A major operational feature of Australian regulation is reliance on Institutional Biosafety Committees (IBCs) located within the regulated institutions. In 2009–2010 the OGTR managed 45 licenses relating to GM crop field trials, and inspected crop trials that included canola, wheat, barley, banana, sugarcane, cotton, Indian mustard and grapevines. States and Territories of Australia make decisions on market related (non-safety) issues, and adopt different political stances with respect to commercialization of GM crops. Some Australian states support environmental release of licensed GM crops (e.g., Queensland), others ban them (Tasmania), while some have re-positioned themselves, after initially opposing commercialization, to currently allowing regulated commercial use (Victoria, Western Australia). Flexibility exhibited by the Australian regulatory system is facilitated by separation of political decision-making in the Gene Technology Ministerial Council away from the OGTR.', 'en_US'),
(3826, 'There\\''s a long, long trail a-winding: the complexities of GM foods regulation, a cautionary tale from the UK. ', 'The evolution of the regulatory process for genetically modified (GM) food in the United Kingdom is reviewed from its formal inception in 1988 to the present, drawing out lessons which have been learned from a series of cases brought to the committee for approval. The unexpected but highly professional anti-GM campaign is described, and issues regarding public perceptions of risk are discussed. Recent failures to find a consensus solution in the United Kingdom are described, and a proposal is made for a way forward.', 'en_US'),
(3827, 'European attitudes on the regulation of modern biotechnology and their consequences. ', 'Modern biotechnology has gradually attracted ever greater interest over the past four decades, from ever-widening communities across the world—from academic scientists, of course, and then from industrialists, journalists, medical specialists, agricultural practitioners, environmental “experts,” economists, trading companies—and, so far as it concerns regulation, above all from political interests whose product is indeed legislation. As the interests widened, conflicts developed: between departments, between sectors, between countries and between international agencies. The European Community made choices, bitterly contested; the battles on conducting and regulating the field release of GMOs (genetically modified organisms) were usually won—at least in Europe—by the environment ministries, often in conflict with agriculture and/or the research and science ministries. The result has been the construction over the past 30 y of an ever heavier regulatory burden on those who seek to develop and launch products based on the use of modern biotechnology. The pretense is labeled “the precautionary principle.” No lives have been saved, but many jobs have been created in bureaucracies large and small around the world. So far as academia was concerned, their experiments and field trials were repeatedly wrecked by NGOs (non-governmental organizations) claiming thus to have saved mankind and the environment. This is a story of grave political failure in Europe with globally adverse consequences.', 'en_US'),
(3828, 'Coexistence, North American style: regulation and litigation. ', 'Globally, biotech crops have left a legacy of success and some notable failures due to regulatory and litigious barriers to entry, with a pipeline of potentially beneficial biotech agricultural products lined up and awaiting approval. Compared with traditional agriculture, these crops provide significant health benefits to environmental and human health benefits, including organic systems. While the rest of the world has increased acreage of biotech crops at a steady annual rate of 10%, North America—the birthplace of most biotech crops—has reached a critical turning point in its regulatory evolution. Biotech crops can play a major role in creating a more sustainable agricultural landscape, which is increasingly well-documented, but future commercial use may be hampered by regulation and litigation that place organic and non-GMO agriculture on a pedestal, which could force many biotech crops into containment. If producers of biotech crops are required to prevent their crops from contaminating these other, high premium specialty crops through migration, innovation in agricultural biotechnology will suffer (as the European experience with agricultural biotechnology clearly demonstrates).', 'en_US'),
(3829, 'Biosafety legislation and biotechnology development gains momentum in Africa. ', 'Opinion in Africa over the use of genetically modified crops for food has been divided, honed by more than a decade of arguments in Europe and elsewhere.1 Fortunately, the perceived image of a passive Africa in this game is changing rapidly with clear positions on how to harness modern biotechnology.\r\n\r\nThis article examines the status of biosafety regulation across Africa, pertinent challenges and the extent to which regulation fosters or constrains the development of agricultural biotechnology.', 'en_US'),
(3830, 'The emerging international regulatory framework for biotechnology.', 'Debate about the potential risks of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) to the environment or human health spurred attention to biosafety. Biosafety is associated with the safe use of GMOs and, more generally, with the introduction of non-indigenous species into natural or managed ecosystems. Biosafety regulation—the policies and procedures adopted to ensure the environmentally safe application of modern biotechnology—has been extensively discussed at various national and international forums. Much of the discussion has focused on developing guidelines, appropriate legal frameworks and, at the international level, a legally binding international biosafety protocol—the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. The Protocol is one among various international instruments and treaties that regulate specific aspects relevant to agricultural biotechnology. The present article presents the main international instruments relevant to biosafety regulation, and their key provisions. While international agreements and standards provide important guidance, they leave significant room for interpretation, and flexibility for countries implementing them. Implementation of biosafety at the national level has proven to be a major challenge, particularly in developing countries, and consequently the actual functioning of the international regulatory framework for biotechnology is still in a state of flux.', 'en_US'),
(3831, 'Consumption of Bt rice pollen expressing Cry2Aa does not cause adverse effects on adult Chrysoperla sinica Tjeder (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae).', 'Adults of Chrysoperla sinica Tjeder are prevalent pollen feeders in rice fields in China. They are therefore exposed to insecticidal proteins when foraging insect-resistant genetically engineered rice pollen containing Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) proteins. Laboratory bioassays were conducted to evaluate the potential impacts of Cry2Aa-expressing transgenic rice (T2A-1) pollen on fitness of adult C. sinica. Survival, pre-oviposition period, fecundity and adult dry weight did not differ between lacewings that had consumed Bt or non-Bt rice pollen. To ensure lacewing adults were not sensitive to Cry2Aa protein independent from the plant background and to add certainty to the toxicity assessment, C. sinica adults were fed with an artificial diet containing Cry2Aa protein at an approximately 10 times higher concentration than in rice pollen. Artificial diet containing potassium arsenate (PA) was included as a positive control. No difference was detected for any of the life-table parameters tested between Cry2Aa-containing and pure diet. In contrast, the pre-oviposition, fecundity and dry weight of C. sinica were significantly adversely affected by feeding on PA-containing diet. In both bioassays, the uptake of Cry protein by adult C. sinica and the bioactivity of Cry protein in the food sources were confirmed by ELISA measurements and sensitive insect bioassays, respectively. These results indicate that adults of C. sinica are not affected by Cry2Aa-expressing rice pollen and are not sensitive to Cry2Aa protein at concentrations exceeding the levels in pollen, thus demonstrating that growing Bt rice expressing Cry2Aa protein will pose a negligible risk to adult C. sinica.', 'en_US'),
(3832, 'Assessment of prey-mediated effects of the coleopteran-specific toxin Cry3Bb1 on the generalist predator Atheta coriaria (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae). ', 'A laboratory study was carried out to assess the potential prey-mediated effects of Cry3Bb1-expressing Bt maize on the fitness and predatory ability of Atheta coriaria Kraatz (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae), using Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae) as prey. The concentration of Cry3Bb1 toxin through the trophic chain significantly decreased from Bt maize (21.7 &amp;#956;g g&amp;#8722;1 FW) to mites (5.6 &amp;#956;g g&amp;#8722;1 FW) and then to A. coriaria adults (1.4 &amp;#956;g g&amp;#8722;1 FW), but not from mites to A. coriaria L1–L3 larvae (4.1–4.6 &amp;#956;g g&amp;#8722;1 FW). Interestingly, the toxin levels detected in A. coriaria larvae represent more than 20% of the concentration found in Bt maize, and the toxin was detected up to 48 h after exposure. To our knowledge, this is the highest level of exposure ever reported in a predatory beetle to the Cry3Bb1 protein. When A. coriaria larvae were reared on Bt-fed mites, Bt-free mites or rearing food, no significant differences among treatments were observed in development, morphological measurements of sclerotized structures and body weight. Moreover, no negative effects on reproductive parameters were reported in adults feeding on Bt-fed prey after 30 days of treatment, and survival was not affected after 60 days of exposure. Similarly, predatory ability and prey consumption of A. coriaria larvae and adults were not affected by exposure to the toxin. All together, these results indicate a lack of adverse effects on A. coriaria, a species commonly used as a biological control agent. The use of A. coriaria as a surrogate species for risk assessment of GM crops that express insecticidal proteins is discussed.', 'en_US'),
(3833, 'Gene flow among wild and domesticated almond species: insights from chloroplast and nuclear markers. ', 'Hybridization has played a central role in the evolutionary history of domesticated plants. Notably, several breeding programs relying on gene introgression from the wild compartment have been performed in fruit tree species within the genus Prunus but few studies investigated spontaneous gene flow among wild and domesticated Prunus species. Consequently, a comprehensive understanding of genetic relationships and levels of gene flow between domesticated and wild Prunus species is needed. Combining nuclear and chloroplastic microsatellites, we investigated the gene flow and hybridization among two key almond tree species, the cultivated Prunus dulcis and one of the most widespread wild relative Prunus orientalis in the Fertile Crescent. We detected high genetic diversity levels in both species along with substantial and symmetric gene flow between the domesticated P. dulcis and the wild P. orientalis. These results were discussed in light of the cultivated species diversity, by outlining the frequent spontaneous genetic contributions of wild species to the domesticated compartment. In addition, crop-to-wild gene flow suggests that ad hoc transgene containment strategies would be required if genetically modified cultivars were introduced in the northwestern Mediterranean.', 'en_US'),
(3834, 'Reciprocal gene flow between conventional and genetically modified soybean cultivars.', 'The objective of this work was to determine the reciprocal gene flow between two soybean cultivars, one tolerant and the other sensitive to glyphosate, as well as to use estimators to determine the outcrossing rate in the population and the number of hybrid seeds in the progeny. The experiment was composed of four blocks of 40 soybean rows, of which 20 rows of each cultivar (CD217 and CD219RR). At the R8 stage, five rows, distant 0.5, 1, 2, 4 and 8 m from the adjacent cultivar, were harvested, threshed and analyzed as for the occurrence of gene flow. As phenotypical markers, the trait color of flowers, hypocotil and pubescence, as well as the tolerance to glyphosate were used. The cultivars contrast for all the analyzed traits, each one conditioned by a single gene with two alleles, in a complete dominance interaction. In the tolerant cultivar progeny, the largest outcross rate was 0.27%, and in the sensitive cultivar progeny, 0.83% was identified; by the dilution effect hypothesis, the outcross rates in natural populations would be 0.104 and 0.388%, respectively. The reciprocal gene flow between CD217 and CD219RR cultivars is not the same in both directions. The proposed estimators are useful for determining the hybrid rates in seed samples.', 'en_US'),
(3835, 'Impact of Bt cotton on insect biodiversity in cotton ecosystem in India.', 'Biotechnology in general and insect-resistant transgenic crops in particular has played a significant role in reducing crop losses caused by insect pests. The commercialization of Bt transgenic cotton in India has significantly increased the cotton production from about 10 million bales in 2001-2002 to 34 million bales in 2009-2010. The deployment of Bt cotton in India has significantly reduced the numbers and volume of insecticide sprays, bollworms population, production cost and environmental contamination.  However, reduction in insecticide sprays, especially during flowering and boll formation has led to resurgence of some minor pests such as tobacco caterpillar, mealy bugs, thrips, aphids, leafhoppers, green stink bug, and serpentine leaf miner. The reduced insecticide use and personal experience of farmers of not having negative impact of Bt cotton on the population buildup of bee colonies, has encouraged beekeepers to keep their bee hives in Bt cotton in Haryana, Rajasthan and Punjab in India. From the field scale studies it is also apparent that there are no adverse effects of Bt cotton on the arthropod diversity and natural enemy functions in the cotton ecosystem, and if any are much lower than that of use of insecticides, which have little ecological impact. However, Indian  experience  with Bt cotton  cultivation reveals  that  the  development  of resistance  in  target  pests  to  Bt  can''t  be  ignored,  and  the  resistance  monitoring  and management strategies are essential and need greater attention to sustain Bt technology.', 'en_US'),
(3836, 'Economic implications of low-level presence in a zero-tolerance European import market: the case of Canadian triffid flax. ', 'Triffid is the name given to a genetically modified (GM) variety of flaxseed that was developed in the late 1980s at the University of Saskatchewan’s Crop Development Centre. The variety was designed to thrive in soil containing residues from sulfonylurea-type herbicides and offered greater weed control options to flax growers. In 1998, Triffid received Canadian and American feed and food regulatory approvals and entered a seed multiplication program. The following year, Europe threatened to stop importing Canadian flax should GM flax enter into commercial production. By April 2001, Triffid was deregistered and all remaining seed was supposedly destroyed. However, in late 2009, Triffid flax was unexpectedly detected in EU food products and in subsequent flax imports into Europe from Canada. In response to this, the EU immediately halted Canadian flax imports.\r\n\r\nThis article documents Canadian costs of the Triffid flax issue as an example of low level presence (LLP) of an unapproved transformation event in a zero-tolerance European market. It explores/evaluates the impacts (economic and social costs) on the Canadian industry—including the development of a stewardship program and testing protocols, the engagement and relationship strategies utilized in negotiations with the EU to resolve market access, and the overall industry response to the issue (from producers to exporters).\r\n\r\nThe article presents survey responses from more than 270 Western Canadian flax farmers. This survey data provides new insights as to how farmers manage LLP on-farm. The production attributes that are examined range from field agronomics to ability to export. Specifically, it examines how farmers have dealt with flax, in terms of production and sale, since the Fall of 2009. Detailed analysis is provided for the following supply chain components: on-farm testing, carryover costs, and opportunity costs. Finally, the article provides some insights as to who farmers trust in terms of communicating information to them on how to best manage this situation.', 'en_US'),
(3837, 'Biological confinement strategies for seed- and pollen-mediated gene flow of GM canola (Brassica napus L.). ', 'Canola (Brassica napus) varieties containing inherent restrictions on gene flow may address problems of seed- and pollen-mediated gene flow. The aim of this study was to explore the effectiveness of 1) low-dormancy varieties in avoiding GM soil seedbanks and volunteers, and 2) cleistogamous (clg) genotypes to avoid outcrossing.\r\n\r\nGM and non-GM varieties with altered seed ingredients had a wide dormancy range that turned out to be genetically determined. Quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping identified four QTLs, which together explained 35% of the phenotypic variance. The fiber content of the seeds appeared to additionally affect seed dormancy. A qualitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay was developed for clg canola by cloning and sequencing of clg1-specific DNA fragments. Detection of characteristic bands in 0.1% clg spiked samples illustrated the sensitivity of this method.\r\n\r\nThe inherent traits of low dormancy and cleistogamy may be feasible tools to minimize gene flow and may be considered for coexistence of GM and non-GM canola.', 'en_US'),
(3838, 'Understanding agricultural species metapopulation biology and ecology and the implications for coexistence in low level of presence scenarios. ', 'The intraspecific movement of novel traits in agriculture involves a metapopulation that includes cropped, volunteer, and feral subpopulations as well as a latent population comprised of any viable seed anywhere within the agro-ecosystem and agricultural supply chain. An assessment of novel trait movement risk or containment requirements relies on a good understanding of volunteer and feral populations as well as a deep understanding of supply-chain operations, processes, protocols, and equipment. For coexistence scenarios where threshold levels are low, an assessment of the potential success of trait containment will be overestimated if there is a poor understanding of the species metapopulation. The biology and ecology of cropped species varies with respect to the potential for intraspecific trait movement, and some species, such as alfalfa, may pose a much greater challenge in terms of trait containment than spring wheat, for example, although agronomic practices do mitigate these differences and one should not assume that a species’ nature alone will determine trait containment. We show examples of this for canola, spring wheat, and alfalfa and explain the implications for coexistence in low level of presence scenarios.', 'en_US'),
(3839, 'Biosafety of genetically modified organisms in the Latin American and the Caribbean region: main needs and opportunities for strategic capacity building. ', 'Biotechnology has the potential to help improve food production in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), a continent where agriculture plays a dominant role in peoples’ lives and in trade. It is therefore critical that recombinant DNA (rDNA) biotechnology is regulated in such a manner as to capture its benefits and to minimize any potential risks. In order to best understand biosafety needs in LAC, an email-based stakeholder consultation was carried out, augmented by personal communications with well-informed respondents, and integrated into a desktop study incorporating information from recent peer-reviewed literature. The resultant qualitative study tracked developments in rDNA biotechnology and biosafety in the region and reviewed regulatory capacity as well as the legacies of previous capacity-building projects in these areas to culminate in a snapshot of the present situation. It demonstrated that approximately half of the 31 countries represented in the study are not carrying out any domestic research and development on genetically modified organisms (GMOs); furthermore, the majority have not developed GM products beyond the proof-of-concept stage. Only 58% of the study countries appear to have operational biosafety regulatory systems in place. Acknowledging that methods of delivering capacity building should be tailored to specific demand-driven needs, the study identified possible knowledge and expertise gaps in the region, to be used as a basis for possible training and/or support interventions.', 'en_US');
INSERT INTO `bibliography_bibliography_i18n` (`id`, `title`, `abstract`, `locale`) VALUES
(3840, 'Field trials and tribulations-making sense of the regulations for experimental field trials of transgenic crops in Europe. ', 'Transgenic plants that are being developed for commercial cultivation must be tested under field conditions to monitor their effects on surrounding wildlife and conventional crops. Developers also use this opportunity to evaluate the performance of transgenic crops in a typical environment, although this is a matter of commercial necessity rather than regulatory compliance. Most countries have adapted existing regulations or developed new ones to deal specifically with transgenic crops and their commodities. The European Union (EU) is renowned, or perhaps notorious, for having the broadest and most stringent regulations governing such field trials in the world. This reflects its nominal adherence to the precautionary approach, which assumes all transgenic crops carry an inherent risk. Therefore, field trials in the EU need to demonstrate that the risk associated with deploying a transgenic crop has been reduced to the level where it is regarded as acceptable within the narrowly defined limits of the regulations developed and enforced (albeit inconsistently) by national and regional governments, that is, that there is no greater risk than growing an equivalent conventional crop. The involvement of national and regional competent authorities in the decision-making process can add multiple layers of bureaucracy to an already-intricate process. In this review, we use country-based case studies to show how the EU, national and regional regulations are implemented, and we propose strategies that could increase the efficiency of regulation without burdening developers with further unnecessary bureaucracy.', 'en_US'),
(3841, 'Effects of consumption of Bt-maize (MON 810) on the collembolan Folsomia candida, over multiple generations: a laboratory study.', 'The effect of long-term feeding on Bt-maize by collembolans in the laboratory is virtually unestablished. That is why the aim of the present study was to test whether the reproduction, fecal pellet production or food preference of the collembolan F. candida is affected when fed on Bt-maize for several consecutive generations. The collembolans were fed with Bt-maize for 0, 6, 16 and 22 months and the number of eggs and fecal pellets were determined. The experiment was repeated seven months later with the same populations. Food preference tests were additionally performed. Significant differences were found in food consumption, egg production and food preference between populations in some cases, but no time-response effect was observed. In conclusion, several generations feeding of F. candida on Cry1Ab toxin containing Bt-maize seems not to be harmful to this collembolan species.', 'en_US'),
(3842, 'Are adult Crambid Snout Moths (Crambinae) and larval stages of Lepidoptera suitable tools for an environmental monitoring of transgenic crops? -- Implications of a field test.', 'Butterflies and moths (Lepidoptera) have been suggested for the environmental monitoring of genetically modified (GM) crops due to their suitability as ecological indicators, and because of the possible adverse impact of the cultivation of current transgenic crops. The German Association of Engineers (VDI) has developed guidelines for the standardized monitoring of Lepidoptera describing the use of light traps for adult moths, transect counts for adult butterflies, and visual search for larvae. The guidelines suggest recording adults of Crambid Snout Moths during transect counts in addition to butterflies, and present detailed protocols for the visual search of larvae. In a field survey in three regions of Germany, we tested the practicability and effort-benefit ratio of the latter two VDI approaches. Crambid Snout Moths turned out to be suitable and practical indicators, which can easily be recorded during transect counts. They were present in 57% of the studied field margins, contributing a substantial part to the overall Lepidoptera count, thus providing valuable additional information to the monitoring results. Visual search of larvae generated results in an adequate effort-benefit ratio when searching for lepidopteran larvae of common species feeding on nettles. Visual search for larvae living on host plants other than nettles was time-consuming and yielded much lower numbers of recorded larvae. Beating samples of bushes and trees yielded a higher number of species and individuals. This method is especially appropriate when hedgerows are sampled, and was judged to perform intermediate concerning the relationship between invested sampling effort and obtained results for lepidopteran larvae. In conclusion, transect counts of adult Crambid Moths and recording of lepidopteran larvae feeding on nettles are feasible additional modules for an environmental monitoring of GM crops. Monitoring larvae living on host plants other than nettles and beating samples of bushes and trees can be used as a supplementary tool if necessary or desired.', 'en_US'),
(3843, 'Similar genetic basis of resistance to Bt toxin Cry1Ac in boll-selected and diet-selected strains of pink bollworm.', 'Genetically engineered cotton and corn plants producing insecticidal Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxins kill some key insect pests. Yet, evolution of resistance by pests threatens long-term insect control by these transgenic Bt crops. We compared the genetic basis of resistance to Bt toxin Cry1Ac in two independently derived, laboratory-selected strains of a major cotton pest, the pink bollworm (Pectinophora gossypiella [Saunders]). The Arizona pooled resistant strain (AZP-R) was started with pink bollworm from 10 field populations and selected with Cry1Ac in diet. The Bt4R resistant strain was started with a long-term susceptible laboratory strain and selected first with Bt cotton bolls and later with Cry1Ac in diet. Previous work showed that AZP-R had three recessive mutations (r1, r2, and r3) in the pink bollworm cadherin gene (PgCad1) linked with resistance to Cry1Ac and Bt cotton producing Cry1Ac. Here we report that inheritance of resistance to a diagnostic concentration of Cry1Ac was recessive in Bt4R. In interstrain complementation tests for allelism, F1 progeny from crosses between AZP-R and Bt4R were resistant to Cry1Ac, indicating a shared resistance locus in the two strains. Molecular analysis of the Bt4R cadherin gene identified a novel 15-bp deletion (r4) predicted to cause the loss of five amino acids upstream of the Cry1Ac-binding region of the cadherin protein. Four recessive mutations in PgCad1 are now implicated in resistance in five different strains, showing that mutations in cadherin are the primary mechanism of resistance to Cry1Ac in laboratory-selected strains of pink bollworm from Arizona.', 'en_US'),
(3844, 'Effect of Cry1Ab protein on rhizobacterial communities of Bt-maize over a four-year cultivation period.', 'Background:  Bt-maize is a transgenic variety of maize expressing the Cry toxin from Bacillus turingiensis. The potential accumulation of the relative effect of the transgenic modification and the cry toxin on the rhizobacterial communities of Bt-maize has been monitored over a period of four years.\r\n\r\nMethodology/Principal Findings:  The accumulative effects of the cultivation of this transgenic plant have been monitored by means of high throughput DNA pyrosequencing of the bacterial DNA coding for the 16S rRNA hypervariable V6 region from rhizobacterial communities. The obtained sequences were subjected to taxonomic, phylogenetic and taxonomic-independent diversity studies. The results obtained were consistent, indicating that variations detected in the rhizobacterial community structure were possibly due to climatic factors rather than to the presence of the Bt-gene. No variations were observed in the diversity estimates between non-Bt and Bt-maize.\r\n\r\nConclusions/Significance:  The cultivation of Bt-maize during the four-year period did not change the maize rhizobacterial communities when compared to those of the non-Bt maize. This is the first study to be conducted with Bt-maize during such a long cultivation period and the first evaluation of rhizobacterial communities to be performed in this transgenic plant using Next Generation Sequencing.', 'en_US'),
(3845, 'Compositional assessment of carotenoid-biofortified rice using substantial equivalence.', 'One important aspect in assessing the safety of genetically modified (GM) crops for human consumption is characterizing their nutrient composition. A &amp;#946;-carotene-biofortified rice was generated by inserting phytoene synthase (Psy) and carotene desaturase (Crtl) genes isolated from Capsicum and Pantoea into the genome of a conventional variety of rice (Nakdongbyeo). Nutrients (proximates, amino acids, fatty acids, minerals, and vitamins), anti-nutritive components (trypsin inhibitors and phytic acid), and ferulic acid in GM rice were compared with those in the parent line Nakdongbyeo. Statistical comparisons to test for equivalence showed that all of the analyzed components in the GM plants were equivalent to those in its non-transgenic counterpart, and most nutritional components fell within the range of values reported for other commercial lines, indicating the safety of the GM plant.', 'en_US'),
(3846, 'Analysis of U.S. genetically engineered crop regulation and litigation.', 'The commercial potential of genetically engineered (GE) crops has not been fully realized in the United States. Over the past decade, environmental litigation dramatically affected the pace of GE crop development, testing, and deregulation. The U.S. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) regulates GE organisms that may pose a risk to plant or animal health. However, recent litigation initiated by nongovernmental organizations such as the Center for Food Safety and the International Center for Technology Assessment has exposed APHIS''s vulnerability to lawsuits under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for failing to assess the environmental risks of novel GE crops. In these cases, APHIS committed two types of mistakes. First, APHIS did not differentiate between traditional GE crops whose risks are well characterized and novel GE crops that may raise unique environmental risks and societal issues based on their distinctive biology. Consequently, it did not adequately evaluate the legally defined environmental risks of these novel crops. Second, APHIS did not fully appreciate NEPA''s sweeping scope and focus on procedural compliance to ensure transparent and thorough environmental decision making. As a result, APHIS impeded the development and commercialization of GE crops and must take a more defensive posture in the future to deter costly and lengthy NEPA litigation in the case of novel GE crops.', 'en_US'),
(3847, 'Morphological variation in the wild-weedy complex of Sorghum bicolor in situ in western Kenya: preliminary evidence of crop-to-wild gene flow?', 'Crop wild relatives are important components of agroecosystems and have over the years been exploited in breeding programs as sources of genes for novel traits. Information on the extent and patterns of variability is important in formulating effective conservation and utilization strategies for existing crop wild relative populations. We conducted surveys and collections of wild and weedy accessions of Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench in Lambwe Valley in western Kenya in order to investigate occurrence, distribution, and morphological variability in the wild-weedy complex of S. bicolor under local agroecological conditions. We also attempted to understand the role, if any, of crop-to-wild gene flow in structuring variability within and among populations. The morphological data presented here showed wide variability within wild-weedy sorghum populations with respect to habitats and morphotypes. True wild sorghum populations in national parks and the sugarcane belt were clearly distinguishable from the putative hybrids or intermediate forms found in sorghum fields, in sorghum field margins, and, to some extent, by the roadside near sorghum fields. The existence of these intermediate forms is empirical evidence of introgression between cultivated sorghum and its wild-weedy relatives. Extensive introgression, especially within in situ conservation areas and/or in areas of high diversity, would lead to genetic erosion and possible depletion of these important wild sorghum genetic resources.', 'en_US'),
(3848, 'Observational science in the environmental risk assessment and management of GMOs.', '', 'en_US'),
(3849, 'Assessment of the influence of field size on maize gene flow using SSR analysis.', 'One of the factors that may influence the rate of cross-fertilization is the relative size of the pollen donor and receptor fields. We designed a spatial distribution with four varieties of genetically-modified (GM) yellow maize to generate different sized fields while maintaining a constant distance to neighbouring fields of conventional white kernel maize. Samples of cross-fertilized, yellow kernels in white cobs were collected from all of the adjacent fields at different distances. A special series of samples was collected at distances of 0, 2, 5, 10, 20, 40, 80 and 120 m following a transect traced in the dominant down-wind direction in order to identify the origin of the pollen through SSR analysis. The size of the receptor fields should be taken into account, especially when they extend in the same direction than the GM pollen flow is coming. From collected data, we then validated a function that takes into account the gene flow found in the field border and that is very useful for estimating the % of GM that can be found in any point of the field. It also serves to predict the total GM content of the field due to cross fertilization. Using SSR analysis to identify the origin of pollen showed that while changes in the size of the donor field clearly influence the percentage of GMO detected, this effect is moderate. This study demonstrates that doubling the donor field size resulted in an approximate increase of GM content in the receptor field of 7%. This indicates that variations in the size of the donor field have a smaller influence on GM content than variations in the size of the receptor field.', 'en_US'),
(3850, 'A 90-day safety study of genetically modified rice expressing rhIGF-1 protein in C57BL/6J rats.', 'Genetically modified plants expressing disease resistance traits offer new treatment strategies for human diseases, but at the same time present a challenge in terms of food safety assessment. The present 90-day feeding study was designed to assess the safety of transgenic rice expressing the recombinant human insulin-like growth factor-1 (rhIGF-1) compared to its parental wild rice. Male and female C57BL/6J rats were given a nutritionally balanced purified diet with 20% transgenic rhIGF-1 rice or 20% parental rice for 90 days. This corresponds to a mean daily rhIGF-1 protein intake of approximately 217.6 mg/kg body weight based on the average feed consumption. In the animal study a range of biological, biochemical, clinical, microbiological and pathological parameters were examined and several significant differences were observed between groups, but none of the effects were considered to be adverse. In conclusion, no adverse or toxic effects on C57BL/6J rats were observed in the design used in this 90-day study. These results will provide valuable information for the safety assessment of genetically modified food crops.', 'en_US'),
(3851, 'Assessing the ecological risks from the persistence and spread of feral populations of insect-resistant transgenic maize.', 'One source of potential harm from the cultivation of transgenic crops is their dispersal, persistence and spread in non-agricultural land. Ecological damage may result from such spread if the abundance of valued species is reduced. The ability of a plant to spread in non-agricultural habitats is called its invasiveness potential. The risks posed by the invasiveness potential of transgenic crops are assessed by comparing in agronomic field trials the phenotypes of the crops with the phenotypes of genetically similar non-transgenic crops known to have low invasiveness potential. If the transgenic and non-transgenic crops are similar in traits believed to control invasiveness potential, it may be concluded that the transgenic crop has low invasiveness potential and poses negligible ecological risk via persistence and spread in non-agricultural habitats. If the phenotype of the transgenic crop is outside the range of the non-transgenic comparators for the traits controlling invasiveness potential, or if the comparative approach is regarded as inadequate for reasons of risk perception or risk communication, experiments that simulate the dispersal of the crop into non-agricultural habitats may be necessary. We describe such an experiment for several commercial insect-resistant transgenic maize events in conditions similar to those found in maize-growing regions of Mexico. As expected from comparative risk assessments, the transgenic maize was found to behave similarly to non-transgenic maize and to be non-invasive. The value of this experiment in assessing and communicating the negligible ecological risk posed by the low invasiveness potential of insect-resistant transgenic maize in Mexico is discussed.', 'en_US'),
(3852, 'Virus infections in wild plant populations are both frequent and often unapparent.', 'Premise of the study: Pathogens are thought to regulate host populations. In agricultural crops, virus infection reduces yield. However, in wild plants little is known about the spatial and temporal patterns of virus prevalence. Thus, pathogen effects on plant population dynamics are unclear. Prevalence data provide necessary background for (1) evaluating the effects of virus infection on plant population size and dynamics and (2) improving risk assessment of virus-resistant transgenic crops.\r\n\r\nMethods: We used ELISA and RT-PCR to survey wild Cucurbita pepo populations over 4 years for five viruses, aphid-transmitted viruses of the genus Potyvirus as a group and PCR to survey for virus-resistance transgenes. In addition, we surveyed the literature for reports of virus prevalence in wild populations.\r\n\r\nKey results: In 21 C. pepo populations, virus prevalence (0–74%) varied greatly among populations, years, and virus species. In samples analyzed by both ELISA and RT-PCR, RT-PCR detected 6–44% more viruses than did ELISA. Eighty percent of these infections did not cause any visually apparent symptoms. In our samples, the virus-resistance transgene was not present. In 30 published studies, 92 of 146 tested species were infected with virus, and infection rates ranged from 0.01–100%. Most published studies used ELISA, suggesting virus prevalence is higher than reported.\r\n\r\nConclusions: In wild C. pepo, the demographic effects of virus are likely highly variable in space and time. Further, our literature survey suggests that such variation is probably common across plant species. Our results indicate that risk assessments for virus-resistant transgenic crops should not rely on visual symptoms or ELISA and should include data from multiple populations over multiple years.', 'en_US'),
(3853, 'Weed control and yield comparisons of glyphosate- and glufosinate-resistant corn grown in rotation.', 'Information on long-term glyphosate- and glufosinate-resistant corn (Zea mays L.) production on weed control and rotation benefits is lacking. A six-year field study was conducted from 2004 to 2009 at Stoneville, MS, to examine the effects of rotating glyphosate-resistant and glufosinate-resistant corn under reduced tillage conditions on weed control, soil weed seedbanks, and yield. The four rotation systems were glyphosate-resistant and glufosinate-resistant corn grown continuously and in rotation with two herbicide programs, post-emergence-only herbicides (POST) and preemergence herbicides followed by POST (PRE + POST). Control of 13 predominant weed species in glyphosate-resistant and glufosinate-resistant corn was &gt;95%, regardless of herbicide program, with the exception of johnsongrass and yellow nutsedge, both perennial weeds. Johnsongrass and yellow nutsedge control was lower in the continuous glufosinate-resistant corn system compared with other rotation systems. Yellow nutsedge control was higher with the PRE + POST (89% to 99%) compared with the POST-only (72% to 86%) treatment. Corn yields were similar regardless of rotation when a corn cultivar stacked with both glyphosate-resistant and glufosinate-resistant traits was used. The PRE + POST program gave 5% to 10% higher yield than the POST-only program in four of six years. The seedbank for yellow nutsedge and predominant grass and broadleaf weeds was not significant among the four rotation systems. Seedbanks for grasses and yellow nutsedge were higher in the POST-only program (20.5 and 1.8 per core of 678 cm3, respectively) compared with the PRE + POST program (9.5 and 0.4 per core, respectively). These results indicate that johnsongrass and yellow nutsedge control could be reduced in continuous glufosinate-resistant corn and could be mitigated by rotating with glyphosate-resistant corn.', 'en_US'),
(3854, 'Scale effect on rice pollen-mediated gene flow: implications in assessing transgene flow from genetically engineered plants.', 'Transgene flow from genetically engineered (GE) crops to non-GE varieties and wild relatives via pollen-mediated gene flow (PMGF) may create food and environmental biosafety concerns. Assessing the level of PMGF from GE crops is required before commercialization. Whether the level of PMGF estimated at relatively small scales can sufficiently represent the actual scenario at large production scales remains unresolved. Here, we estimated average PMGF frequencies from three insect-resistant GE rice lines to their non-GE counterparts at four scales ranging from 9 to 576&amp;#8201;m2, having the number of GE to non-GE plants constantly at the ratio of 8:1. Based on nearly 1.3 million examined seedlings from non-GE rice plots, very low frequencies (&lt;0.1%) of transgene flow were detected. The highest frequencies were found in plots at the smallest scales. Scale had a significantly negative effect on the frequency of PMGF in rice, with decreased gene flow at increased scale. An extended PMGF model could well represent the experimental data. Field experiments at relatively small scales combined with mathematical modelling could provide useful prediction on the level of rice transgene flow at large production scales. This is probably applicable for other crop species with wind- and self-pollination.', 'en_US'),
(3855, 'Maize x teosinte hybrid cobs do not prevent crop gene introgression.', 'Maize x Teosinte Hybrid Cobs Do Not Prevent Crop Gene Introgression. Whether introgression from crops to wild relatives can occur is an important component of transgene risk assessment. In the case of maize, which co-occurs with its wild relative teosinte in Mexico, the possibility of introgression has been controversial. Maize is cross-compatible with teosinte, and spontaneous hybridization is known to occur. Some scientists have hypothesized that the maize x teosinte cob infructescence will prevent progeny dispersal, thus preventing introgression. Motivated by a prior study where we found maize x teosinte hybrid fruits naturally dispersed under field conditions, we tested whether hybrid cobs hold their fruits as tightly as maize cobs. We found the force required to detach hybrid fruits was substantially and significantly less than that for maize. Consequently, we expect that introgression of transgenes from maize into teosinte in Mexico should occur largely unimpeded by the hybrid cob.La mazorca o elote híbrido de maíz x teocintle no impide la introgresión de genes transgénicos provenientes del cultivo. La introgresión entre el maíz cultivado y el maíz silvestre, o teocintle, es un componente importante en la evaluación ambiental relacionada con los riesgos de la introducción de genes transgénicos. La posibilidad de introgresión entre el maíz domesticado y el teocintle ha sido un tema controversial, en particular en México, donde maíz y teocintle coexisten. El maíz es compatible con el teocintle y la hibridización espontánea ocurre entre ellos. Algunos científicos han planteado como hipótesis que al cruzar el maíz con teocintle, la estructura interna de la infrutescencia que sujeta los frutos conocida como la mazorca de maíz o el elote, impide la dispersión de la progenie evitando que la introgresión ocurra. Los resultados de un estudio previo evidencian la dispersión de los frutos híbridos del maíz x teocintle en condiciones naturales. Motivados por estos resultados, hemos decidido investigar si la mazorca o el elote de las infrutescencias del híbrido sujetan los frutos con una fuerza comparable o mayor a la del maíz. Nuestras mediciones implican que la fuerza necesaria para liberar los frutos híbridos son substancial y significativamente menores que aquellas necesarias para desprender los frutos del maíz. Como conclusión sugerimos que en México, la mazorca o el elote no representan una barrera que impida la introgresión de los genes transgénicos del maíz al teocintle.', 'en_US'),
(3856, 'Ameliorating risk: culturable and metagenomic monitoring of the 14 year decline of a genetically engineered microorganism at a bioremediation field site.', 'In 1996, the first EPA sanctioned release of a recombinant microbe (Pseudomonas fluorescens HK44) into the subsurface soil environment was initiated in a replicated semi-contained array of soil lysimeters. With an aim to access the survivability/environmental fate of HK44, soil sampling was performed 14 years post release. Although after extensive sampling culturable HK44 cells were not found, qPCR and metagenomic analyses indicated that genetic signatures of HK44 cells still persisted in the soils, with genes diagnostic for the bioluminescent transposon carried by strain HK44 (luxA and tetA) being found at low concentrations (&lt; 5000 copies/g). Additionally, metagenome analysis of lysimeter 2 using amplicon pyrosequencing showed that Burkholderia was more abundant in the sample extracted before storage at 4°C than after storage at 4°C (79% and 5.6% Burkholderia sequences, respectively).', 'en_US'),
(3857, 'Long-term effects of transgenic Bacillus thuringiensis cotton on the non-target Aphis gossypii (Homoptera: Aphididae) maintained for multiple generations.', 'The effects of transgenic Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) cotton on non-target Aphis gossypii were assessed by comparing the life-table parameters of aphids that fed on Bt vs. non-Bt cotton cultivars for the first and 37th generations. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method was used to detect the transmission of the Bt protein from Bt cotton to A. gossypii and their honeydew. We found that the life-table parameters of A. gossypii that fed on Bt cotton for the first and 37th generations did not differ significantly from those of the non-Bt-fed individuals. However, the Bt protein was detected by ELISA in the Bt cotton leaves, and the content varied significantly at different growth stages. Furthermore, trace amounts of the Bt protein were detected in some of the Bt-fed aphids, and the honeydew of the Bt-fed aphids contained over 10 ng/g Bt protein. These results indicate that although trace amounts of the Bt protein were ingested, the Bt cotton had no significant negative impacts on A. gossypii in either the short or long term.', 'en_US'),
(3858, 'Delaying corn rootworm resistance to Bt corn.', 'Transgenic crops producing Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxins for insect control have been successful, but their efficacy is reduced when pests evolve resistance. To delay pest resistance to Bt crops, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has required refuges of host plants that do not produce Bt toxins to promote survival of susceptible pests. Such refuges are expected to be most effective if the Bt plants deliver a dose of toxin high enough to kill nearly all hybrid progeny produced by matings between resistant and susceptible pests. In 2003, the EPA first registered corn, Zea mays L., producing a Bt toxin (Cry3Bb1) that kills western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte, one of the most economically important crop pests in the United States. The EPA requires minimum refuges of 20% for Cry3Bb1 corn and 5% for corn producing two Bt toxins active against corn rootworms. We conclude that the current refuge requirements are not adequate, because Bt corn hybrids active against corn rootworms do not meet the high-dose standard, and western corn rootworm has rapidly evolved resistance to Cry3Bb1 corn in the laboratory, greenhouse, and field. Accordingly, we recommend increasing the minimum refuge for Bt corn targeting corn rootworms to 50% for plants producing one toxin active against these pests and to 20% for plants producing two toxins active against these pests. Increasing the minimum refuge percentage can help to delay pest resistance, encourage integrated pest management, and promote more sustainable crop protection.', 'en_US'),
(3859, 'Effects of entomopathogenic nematodes on evolution of pink bollworm resistance to Bacillus thuringiensis toxin Cry1Ac.', 'The evolution of resistance by pests can reduce the efficacy of transgenic crops that produce insecticidal toxins from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). However, fitness costs may act to delay pest resistance to Bt toxins. Meta-analysis of results from four previous studies revealed that the entomopathogenic nematode Steinernema riobrave (Rhabditida: Steinernematidae) imposed a 20% fitness cost for larvae of pink bollworm, Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), that were homozygous for resistance to Bt toxin Cry1Ac, but no significant fitness cost was detected for heterozygotes. We conducted greenhouse and laboratory selection experiments to determine whether S. riobrave would delay the evolution of pink bollworm resistance to Cry1Ac. We mimicked the high dose/refuge scenario in the greenhouse with Bt cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) plants and refuges of non-Bt cotton plants, and in the laboratory with diet containing Cry1Ac and refuges of untreated diet. In both experiments, half of the replicates were exposed to S. riobrave and half were not. In the greenhouse, S. riobrave did not delay resistance. In the laboratory, S. riobrave delayed resistance after two generations but not after four generations. Simulation modeling showed that an initial resistance allele frequency &gt;0.015 and population bottlenecks can diminish or eliminate the resistance-delaying effects of fitness costs. We hypothesize that these factors may have reduced the resistance-delaying effects of S. riobrave in the selection experiments. The experimental and modeling results suggest that entomopathogenic nematodes could slow the evolution of pest resistance to Bt crops, but only under some conditions.', 'en_US'),
(3860, 'Information tools for environmental risk assessment of low level presence: an introduction to the reviews of the environmental safety of proteins used in genetically engineered plants.', '', 'en_US'),
(3861, 'A review of the environmental safety of the CP4 EPSPS protein.', '', 'en_US'),
(3862, 'Impact of Bt transgenic cotton on population dynamics of aphids and natural enemies.', '', 'en_US'),
(3863, 'The VIRCA project: virus resistant cassava for Africa.', 'The VIRCA (Virus Resistant Cassava for Africa) project is a collaborative program between the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, USA the National Crops Resources Research Institute, Uganda and the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute, Kenya. VIRCA is structured to include all aspects of the intellectual property, technology, regulatory, biosafety, quality control, communication and distribution components required for a GM crop development and delivery process. VIRCA''s goal is to improve cassava for resistance to the viral diseases cassava brown streak disease (CBSD) and cassava mosaic disease (CMD) using pathogen-derived RNAi technology, and to field test, obtain regulatory approval for and deliver these products to small landholder farmers. During Phase I of the project, proof of concept was achieved by production and testing of virus resistant plants under greenhouse and confined field trials in East Africa. In VIRCA Phase II, two farmer-preferred varieties will be modified for resistance to CBSD and CMD, and lead events identified after molecular and field screening. In addition to delivery of royalty-free improved planting materials for farmers, VIRCA capacity building activities are enhancing indigenous capability for crop biotechnology in East Africa.', 'en_US'),
(3864, 'Surveying of pollen-mediated crop-to-crop gene flow from a wheat field trial as a biosafety measure.', 'Outcrosses from genetically modified (GM) to conventional crops by pollen-mediated gene flow (PMGF) are a concern when growing GM crops close to non-GM fields. This also applies to the experimental releases of GM plants in field trials. Therefore, biosafety measures such as isolation distances and surveying of PMGF are required by the regulatory authorities in Switzerland. For two and three years, respectively, we monitored crop-to-crop PMGF from GM wheat field trials in two locations in Switzerland. The pollen donors were two GM spring wheat lines with enhanced fungal resistance and a herbicide tolerance as a selection marker. Seeds from the experimental plots were sampled to test the detection method for outcrosses. Two outcrosses were found adjacent to a transgenic plot within the experimental area. For the survey of PMGF, pollen receptor plots of the conventional wheat variety Frisal used for transformation were planted in the border crop and around the experimental field up to a distance of 200 m. Although the environmental conditions were favorable and the donor and receptor plots flowered at the same time, only three outcrosses were found in approximately 185,000 tested seedlings from seeds collected outside the experimental area. All three hybrids were found in the border crop surrounding the experimental area, but none outside the field. We conclude that a pollen barrier (border crop) and an additional isolation distance of 5 m is a sufficient measure to reduce PMGF from a GM wheat field trial to cleistogamous varieties in commercial fields below a level that can be detected.', 'en_US'),
(3865, 'Global impact of biotech crops: Environmental effects, 1996-2010.', 'This paper updates the assessment of the impact commercialized agricultural biotechnology is having on global agriculture, from some important environmental perspectives. It focuses on the impact of changes in pesticide use and greenhouse gas emissions arising from the use of biotech crops. The technology has reduced pesticide spraying by 443 million kg (-9.1%) and, as a result, decreased the environmental impact associated with herbicide and insecticide use on these crops [as measured by the indicator the Environmental Impact Quotient (EIQ)] by 17.9%. The technology has also significantly reduced the release of greenhouse gas emissions from this cropping area, which, in 2010, was equivalent to removing 8.6 million cars from the roads.', 'en_US'),
(3866, 'Assessment of the high-dose concept and level of control provided by MON 87701 x MON 89788 soybean against Anticarsia gemmatalis and Pseudoplusia includens (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Brazil.', 'BACKGROUND: Genetically modified MON 87701 × MON 89788 soybean (Glycine max), which expresses the Cry1Ac and EPSP-synthase proteins, has been registered for commercial use in Brazil. To develop an Insect Resistance Management (IRM) program for this event, laboratory and field studies were conducted to assess the high-dose concept and level of control it provides against Anticarsia gemmatalis and Pseudoplusia includens.\r\nRESULTS: The purified Cry1Ac protein was more active against A. gemmatalis [LC50 (FL 95%) = 0.23 (0.15–0.34) µg Cry1Ac mL&amp;#8722;1 diet] than P. includens [LC50 (FL 95%) = 3.72 (2.65–4.86) µg Cry1Ac mL&amp;#8722;1 diet]. In bioassays with freeze-dried MON 87701 × MON 89788 soybean tissue diluted 25 times in an artificial diet, there was 100% mortality of A. gemmatalis and up to 95.79% mortality for P. includens. In leaf-disc bioassays and under conditions of high artificial infestation in the greenhouse and natural infestation in the field, MON 87701 × MON 89788 soybean showed a high level of efficacy against both target pests.\r\nCONCLUSIONS: The MON 87701 × MON 89788 soybean provides a high level of control against A. gemmatalis and P. includes, but a high-dose event only to A. gemmatalis.', 'en_US'),
(3867, 'Approval of GM crops: socio-economic considerations in developing countries.', 'Socio-economic considerations associated with the application of gene technologies have been a major concern, especially in developing countries, which are caught between the potentials of biotechnology for development, on the one hand, and their adverse socio-economic impacts, on the other. Globally, the experience of countries even with the most advanced regimes for incorporating these issues shows that addressing them effectively remains a challenge. The Cartagena Biosafety Protocol, the only global instrument for governance of genetically modified crops, does not address these considerations. Thus policy frameworks depend primarily on domestic concerns and priorities. Recent attempts to separate socio-economic assessment from biosafety assessment processes and conduct the two in parallel appear to embody a more pragmatic approach. The proposed Biotechnology Regulatory Authority of India Bill must draw upon this international experience and associated insight.', 'en_US'),
(3868, 'DNA barcoding simplifies environmental risk assessment of genetically modified crops in biodiverse regions.', 'Transgenes encoding for insecticidal crystal (Cry) proteins from the soil-dwelling bacterium Bacillus Thuringiensis have been widely introduced into Genetically Modified (GM) crops to confer protection against insect pests. Concern that these transgenes may also harm beneficial or otherwise valued insects (so-called Non Target Organisms, NTOs) represents a major element of the Environmental Risk Assessments (ERAs) used by all countries prior to commercial release. Compiling a comprehensive list of potentially susceptible NTOs is therefore a necessary part of an ERA for any Cry toxin-containing GM crop. In partly-characterised and biodiverse countries, NTO identification is slowed by the need for taxonomic expertise and time to enable morphological identifications. This limitation represents a potentially serious barrier to timely adoption of GM technology in some developing countries. We consider Bt Cry1A cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) in Nigeria as an exemplar to demonstrate how COI barcoding can provide a simple and cost-effective means of addressing this problem. Over a period of eight weeks, we collected 163 insects from cowpea flowers across the agroecological and geographic range of the crop in Nigeria. These individuals included 32 Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) spanning four Orders and that could mostly be assigned to genus or species level. They included 12 Lepidopterans and two Coleopterans (both potentially sensitive to different groups of Cry proteins). Thus, barcode-assisted diagnoses were highly harmonised across groups (typically to genus or species level) and so were insensitive to expertise or knowledge gaps. Decisively, the entire study was completed within four months at a cost of less than 10,000 US$. The broader implications of the findings for food security and the capacity for safe adoption of GM technology are briefly explored.', 'en_US'),
(3869, 'Effects of feeding Bt MON810 maize to pigs for 110 days on peripheral immune response and digestive fate of the cry1Ab gene and truncated Bt toxin.', 'Background:  The objective of this study was to evaluate potential long-term (110 days) and age-specific effects of feeding genetically modified Bt maize on peripheral immune response in pigs and to determine the digestive fate of the cry1Ab gene and truncated Bt toxin.\r\nMethodology/Principal Findings:  Forty day old pigs (n = 40) were fed one of the following treatments: 1) isogenic maize-based diet for 110 days (isogenic); 2) Bt maize-based diet (MON810) for 110 days (Bt); 3) Isogenic maize-based diet for 30 days followed by Bt maize-based diet for 80 days (isogenic/Bt); and 4) Bt maize-based diet (MON810) for 30 days followed by isogenic maize-based diet for 80 days (Bt/isogenic). Blood samples were collected during the study for haematological analysis, measurement of cytokine and Cry1Ab-specific antibody production, immune cell phenotyping and cry1Ab gene and truncated Bt toxin detection. Pigs were sacrificed on day 110 and digesta and organ samples were taken for detection of the cry1Ab gene and the truncated Bt toxin. On day 100, lymphocyte counts were higher (P&lt;0.05) in pigs fed Bt/isogenic than pigs fed Bt or isogenic. Erythrocyte counts on day 100 were lower in pigs fed Bt or isogenic/Bt than pigs fed Bt/isogenic (P&lt;0.05). Neither the truncated Bt toxin nor the cry1Ab gene were detected in the organs or blood of pigs fed Bt maize. The cry1Ab gene was detected in stomach digesta and at low frequency in the ileum but not in the distal gastrointestinal tract (GIT), while the Bt toxin fragments were detected at all sites in the GIT.\r\nConclusions/Significance:  Perturbations in peripheral immune response were thought not to be age-specific and were not indicative of Th 2 type allergenic or Th 1 type inflammatory responses. There was no evidence of cry1Ab gene or Bt toxin translocation to organs or blood following long-term feeding.', 'en_US'),
(3870, 'Characterization of digestive enzymes of bruchid parasitoids-initial steps for environmental risk assessment of genetically modified legumes.', 'Genetically modified (GM) legumes expressing the &amp;#945;-amylase inhibitor 1 (&amp;#945;AI-1) from Phaseolus vulgaris L. or cysteine protease inhibitors are resistant to several bruchid pests (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). In addition, the combination of plant resistance factors together with hymenopteran parasitoids can substantially increase the bruchid control provided by the resistance alone. If the strategy of combining a bruchid-resistant GM legume and biological control is to be effective, the insecticidal trait must not adversely affect bruchid antagonists. The environmental risk assessment of such GM legumes includes the characterization of the targeted enzymes in the beneficial species and the assessment of the in vitro susceptibility to the resistance factor. The digestive physiology of bruchid parasitoids remain relatively unknown, and their susceptibility to &amp;#945;AI-1 has never been investigated. We have detected &amp;#945;-amylase and serine protease activities in all five bruchid parasitoid species tested. Thus, the deployment of GM legumes expressing cysteine protease inhibitors to control bruchids should be compatible with the use of parasitoids. In vitro inhibition studies showed that sensitivity of &amp;#945;-amylase activity to &amp;#945;AI-1 in the parasitoids was comparable to that in the target species. Direct feeding assays revealed that harmful effects of &amp;#945;-amylase inhibitors on bruchid parasitoids cannot be discounted and need further evaluation.', 'en_US'),
(3871, 'Recent and projected increases in atmospheric CO2 concentration can enhance gene flow between wild and genetically altered rice (Oryza sativa).', 'Although recent and projected increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide can alter plant phenological development, these changes have not been quantified in terms of floral outcrossing rates or gene transfer. Could differential phenological development in response to rising CO2 between genetically modified crops and wild, weedy relatives increase the spread of novel genes, potentially altering evolutionary fitness? Here we show that increasing CO2 from an early 20th century concentration (300 µmol mol&amp;#8722;1) to current (400 µmol mol&amp;#8722;1) and projected, mid-21st century (600 µmol mol&amp;#8722;1) values, enhanced the flow of genes from wild, weedy rice to the genetically altered, herbicide resistant, cultivated population, with outcrossing increasing from 0.22% to 0.71% from 300 to 600 µmol mol&amp;#8722;1. The increase in outcrossing and gene transfer was associated with differential increases in plant height, as well as greater tiller and panicle production in the wild, relative to the cultivated population. In addition, increasing CO2 also resulted in a greater synchronicity in flowering times between the two populations. The observed changes reported here resulted in a subsequent increase in rice dedomestication and a greater number of weedy, herbicide-resistant hybrid progeny. Overall, these data suggest that differential phenological responses to rising atmospheric CO2 could result in enhanced flow of novel genes and greater success of feral plant species in agroecosystems.', 'en_US'),
(3872, 'The green fence of Chinese hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis L.) prevents pollen dispersal of transgenic rice (Oryza sativa).', 'Transgene escape mediated by pollen dispersal is one of the preeminent concerns about genetically modified crops, including rice. In this study, the rice pollen donor of non-glutinous Oryza sativa ssp. japonica cv. ‘Tainung 67’ [TNG 67] had a greater potential of pollen flow, which was shown by the greater quantity, germination rate, and viability of pollen, than the other rice pollen donor of transgenic AAN. The pollen-mediated gene flow was detected by the frequency of outcrossed seeds in a “checker-board pattern” and alternating row arrangement of rice pollen donor (TNG 67 or AAN) and pollen recipient (glutinous rice ‘TNG 73’) in the fields. We conducted field experiments to assess rice pollen dispersal with or without a “green” fence of Chinese hibiscus, Hibiscus rosa-sinensis L., of approximately 2 m in height and 0.6 m in thickness. Without a green fence, the outcrossing rate of TNG 73 seeds decreased with increasing distance from the pollen donor, from 1.68% at 1 m to 0.01% at 35 m, with no outcrossing beyond 40 m. The outcrossing rate varied with the direction of pollen donor, from 0.05% in the northeastern direction to 0.78% in the southern direction, which was caused by prevailing wind direction. With the green fence, no seeds of TNG 73 were outcrossed. Since a buffer zone of at least 40 m is needed to prevent outcrossing of rice by pollen dispersal in an open field, planting of Chinese hibiscus around the rice field as a green fence would be an effective measure for preventing transgene escape mediated by pollen flow.', 'en_US'),
(3873, 'The current state of the environmental impact assessment of abiotic stress-tolerant genetically modified plants in the U.S., Canada, Australia, EU and Japan.', 'Abiotic stress–tolerant genetically modified (GM) plants are expected to be next-generation plants that will bring stable yields to cope with future population growth and climate changes due to global warming. However, tolerance to abiotic stress may affect the fitness and possibilities to invade natural environments more than herbicide-tolerance and insect resistance, which have already been approved; therefore, it has been pointed out that the modified plants may have a larger niche than the host plants. Although methods of environmental impact assessments for abiotic stress–tolerant GM plants have been discussed in international meetings, a clear answer has not been reached. These new GM crops have been experimentally grown in fields in the U.S., Canada, Australia, EU and Japan. Our study on the legal framework used when these countries assessed the safety of the plants, together with information about the agricultural background, showed that the countries used the current assessment system without any changes, or expanded the interpretation of the current assessment system or added new methods to the system for the environmental impact assessments of abiotic stress-tolerant GM plants. A new method of assessment involving population dynamic models has been proposed. It may be possible to construct a uniform world standard method based on this proposal by using true abiotic stress&amp;#8722;tolerant GM plants.', 'en_US');
INSERT INTO `bibliography_bibliography_i18n` (`id`, `title`, `abstract`, `locale`) VALUES
(3874, 'Field trials with lignin-modified transgenic trees.', 'For the last 20 years, as a complement to biochemical approaches, lignin-modified transgenic trees have proven to be invaluable tools for deciphering the lignin biosynthetic pathway and increasing our knowledge about the role of lignins in wood-specific properties important for tree physiology. In addition, their evaluation in the field has been very useful for the identification of possible routes to improve wood properties for specific industrial uses, initially pulp and paper making and now biofuel production. In this chapter, we review our present knowledge gained through numerous studies analysing transgenic trees, with emphasis on field trial evaluations, for assessing the effects of lignin modification on wood properties and tree physiology. All the data presented here led to the conclusion that, prior to use in forestry for pulp and paper or bioenergy production, the fitness of lignin-modified transgenic trees required careful evaluation in a variety of field environments. Although limited in number, environmental studies failed to indicate any strong effects of lignin-modified transgenic trees on the ecosystem. Finally, this review helps to identify some promising options where biotech trees could be used to further optimize the production of wood for human uses.', 'en_US'),
(3875, 'A three generation study with high-lysine transgenic rice in Sprague-Dawley rats.', 'Lysine-rich rice (LR) is a transgenic rice produced by fusion protein expressed genes into the germline of rice seeds. Compositional analysis of LR showed that the absolute concentration of lysine was significantly higher as compared to a near-isogenic non-transgenic rice. Lysine is believed to be the first limiting essential amino acid in rice, it is important to improve lysine content on rice nutritional quality. Here we report the results of a three generation study comparing the outcome in rats fed the transgenic rice to those fed conventional, near-isogenic rice or a control diet. In the study, both clinical performance variables and pathological responses such as body weight, food consumption, reproductive data, hematological parameters, serum chemistry and relative organ weights were examined respectively. It was evident that there were no adverse effects observed in rats that were fed transgenic rice compared with non-transgenic rice. There were significant differences in some hematology, serum chemistry parameters and relative organ weights in rats consuming the transgenic rice diet or non-transgenic rice diet compared with the control diet, but no macroscopic or histological adverse effects were observed. So the results from this study demonstrate that LR rice is as safe as near-isogenic non-transgenic rice.', 'en_US'),
(3876, 'When and where a seed mix refuge makes sense for managing insect resistance to Bt plants.', 'Planting of a separate structured refuge for Bt crops as part of an insect resistance management (IRM) strategy to delay resistance evolution is the most common method of refuge deployment but this strategy depends on growers planting a refuge. A seed mix refuge interspersed with a pyramided Bt product is an alternative strategy that addresses the risk of growers not planting a refuge. However, concerns exist regarding how larval movement between Bt and non-Bt plants might influence resistance evolution in a seed mix field. To understand when seed mixes are an appropriate IRM strategy, a deterministic model run probabilistically was used to examine the evolution of Bt resistance in seed mix and structured refuges under varying levels of Bt efficacy, pest fitness, refuge size, larval movement, movement penalty and grower compliance. Results from modeling simulations show that the addition of a second and third Bt toxin can delay resistance evolution longer than a single toxin, making a seed mix refuge strategy a viable option where refuge compliance is a concern. In seed mixes, resistance was shown to evolve faster compared to a responsibly implemented structured refuge and evolved fastest in seed mixes when larval movement rates were high. However, when mortality from larval movement was included in model simulations, the selection pressure from Bt was reduced and two or three Bt-pyramids with a 5% seed mix refuge were at least as durable as the same products with a 5% structured refuge, depending upon refuge compliance. These simulations show that, across a range of conditions, seed mix refugia provide an effective alternative IRM tactic for delaying resistance evolution. Under some conditions use of seed mix refugia may be a superior IRM tactic leading to longer delays to resistance, and greater durability, compared to structured refugia and is a risk adverse tactic in situations when no refuge is planted.', 'en_US'),
(3877, 'Soil microbiology in glyphosate-resistant corn cropping systems.', 'Genetically modified herbicide resistant crops are commonly grown since their introduction in the 1990s, but growing these crops could affect soil microorganisms. We evaluated the effects of glyphosate-resistant (GR) corn (Zea mays L.) and glyphosate application on soil microbial biomass carbon (MBC), &amp;#946;-glucosidase enzyme activity (final season only), bacterial functional diversity, and bacterial community-level physiological profiles (CLPPs) in corn monoculture in five seasons. We also determined if growing GR corn in crop rotations would alter these effects. In monoculture, the GR trait (GR corn vs. conventional corn) had no effects on MBC, &amp;#946;-glucosidase activity, or functional diversity in any year. However, there were differences in CLPPs related to this trait in three seasons. Glyphosate application in monoculture increased MBC in corn rhizosphere in one season, and decreased MBC and bacterial diversity in bulk soil in another season. In crop rotations, GR corn (relative to conventional corn) decreased bacterial diversity and MBC in bulk soil in two seasons, and increased &amp;#946;-glucosidase activity in corn rhizosphere and bacterial diversity in bulk soil in the final season. Growing GR corn in crop rotation compared to growing it in monoculture decreased MBC in corn rhizosphere in one season, but increased MBC and bacterial diversity in bulk soil in four seasons, and increased &amp;#946;-glucosidase activity in corn rhizosphere and bulk soil in the final season. These results show that the GR technology had mostly no effects on soil microorganisms, had some inconsistent effects, and growing GR corn in crop rotation mostly mitigated any negative effects.', 'en_US'),
(3878, 'A molecular framework for risk assessment of a virus-tolerant transgenic pepper line.', 'The Cucumber mosaic virus coat protein (CMV-CP) gene-transgenic pepper lines exhibit high tolerance to Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) strains. In this study, E7, one of the CMVP0-CP transgenic chili pepper events selected by screening was further characterized. Southern blotting and inverse PCR analysis revealed that the E7 event contains a single copy of the inserted gene cassette whose flanking sequences appear to be noncoding and intergenic. We searched for pepper-specific DNA sequence candidates as an endogenous reference gene for GM-pepper detection. We found that only one copy of CaSIG4 and lipocalin genes are present in the pepper genome and their sequences were determined to be pepper-specific. The characterization of the genomic sequences flanking the transgene, as well as the availability of the pepper-specific single copy CaSIG4 and lipocalin genes as endogenous reference genes, enabled the design of E7-event-specific PCR-based quantitative detection methods. The CMV-CP protein levels in the CMV-inoculated wild-type pepper tissues were approximately 60 times higher than those in the uninoculated and CMV-inoculated E7 pepper tissues. These results suggested that the amount of CMV-CP expressed in transgenic pepper tissue was negligible relative to the amount of CMV-CP in the virus-infected wild-type pepper consumed by human beings. This work may prove useful for risk assessment studies of transgenic pepper lines. Furthermore, the characterized single copy genes, lipocalin and CaSIG4, may be used to develop a method to detect gene copy number variations in the pepper genome.', 'en_US'),
(3879, 'Bt maize -- a potential contribution to integrated production?', 'Bt maize represents a targeted and efficient measure for controlling certain pests. Replacing broad-spectrum insecticides with Bt maize produces environmental benefits, for example because this approach does not harm beneficial organisms. Growers can produce high-quality products with low time and resource investment. Resistance evolution and potential secondary pest outbreaks are risks for the sustainable use of Bt maize that require appropriate management plans (refuges, encouragement of natural enemies) and monitoring. Despite higher seed prices and administrative requirements, Bt-maize growers in areas with high pest pressure have generally been able to increase their gross margin. With the non-authorisation of Bt maize in several European countries, however, not all producers can make use of this economic potential. In the context of integrated production, Bt maize could be used in combination with other measures.', 'en_US'),
(3880, 'Diverse genetic basis of field-evolved resistance to Bt cotton in cotton bollworm from China.', 'Evolution of pest resistance reduces the efficacy of insecticidal proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) used in sprays or in transgenic crops. Although several pests have evolved resistance to Bt crops in the field, information about the genetic basis of field-evolved resistance to Bt crops has been limited. In particular, laboratory-selected resistance to Bt toxin Cry1Ac based on recessive mutations in a gene encoding a toxin-binding cadherin protein has been identified in three major cotton pests, but previous work has not determined if such mutations are associated with field-selected resistance to Bt cotton. Here we show that the most common resistance alleles in field populations of cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera, selected with Bt cotton in northern China, had recessive cadherin mutations, including the deletion mutation identified via laboratory selection. However, unlike all previously studied cadherin resistance alleles, one field-selected cadherin resistance allele conferred nonrecessive resistance. We also detected nonrecessive resistance that was not genetically linked with the cadherin locus. In field-selected populations, recessive cadherin alleles accounted for 75–84% of resistance alleles detected. However, most resistance alleles occurred in heterozygotes and 59–94% of resistant individuals carried at least one nonrecessive resistance allele. The results suggest that resistance management strategies must account for diverse resistance alleles in field-selected populations, including nonrecessive alleles.', 'en_US'),
(3881, 'The effects of Bt Cry1Ah toxin on worker honeybees (Apis mellifera ligustica and Apis cerana cerana).', 'We conducted feeding trials in a laboratory setting to test for possible adverse effects of Cry1Ah toxin mixed thoroughly into sugar syrup (60% w/v sucrose solution) at three concentrations (10 &amp;#956;g/mL, 10 ng/mL, and 1 ng/mL) on the survival, pollen consumption, and hypopharyngeal gland mass of Apis mellifera ligustica and Apis cerana cerana. No significant differences in the survival of A. mellifera or A. cerana were found among groups fed on sugar syrup with or without Cry1Ah toxin. No significant differences were found in the longevity of A. mellifera fed sugar syrup with Cry1Ah toxin compared with the control. No differences were detected in the pollen consumption of A. mellifera ligustica and A. cerana cerana. No significant differences were found in the hypopharyngeal gland weight of 12-day-old honeybees A. mellifera ligustica and A. cerana cerana fed on sugar syrup with Cry1Ah toxin compared with the control. The implications of these results are discussed in terms of the risks of transgenic corn crops for honeybees.', 'en_US'),
(3882, 'Consequences of a coexistence policy on the adoption of GMHT crops in the European Union.', 'This article examines the adoption of genetically modified herbicide tolerant (GMHT) crops in the European Union (EU) prior to its commercial release. A set of potential drivers including the implementation of coexistence measures by farmers, farmers’ own motivational factors (e.g. economic, environmental and technical factors) and perceived social pressure to accept or reject adoption may influence European Union farmers’ willingness to adopt GMHT oilseed rape and GMHT maize. The analysis includes economic and sociological factors. Results show that coexistence measures may hamper GMHT adoption in the EU.', 'en_US'),
(3883, 'Implications of mandatory labeling of GM food in India: evidence from the supply side.', 'We assess the supply-side economic implications of introducing a strict mandatory labeling policy for genetically modified (GM) food in India as proposed in 2006. We apply our analysis to the case of cottonseed oil and soybean oil, two products that would be the first affected by such regulation. We find that GM food labeling would generate adjustment and implementation costs and consumer benefits would not always be visible and would highly depend on the degree of enforcement.', 'en_US'),
(3884, 'Reproductive biology of Bt-resistant and susceptible field-collected larvae of the maize stem borer, Busseola fusca (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae).', 'The maize stem borer, Busseola fusca (Fuller) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), is of economic importance throughout sub-Saharan Africa. The seasonal activity pattern of this pest is characterized by two to three distinct generations during spring and summer followed by a diapause period of approximately six months during autumn and winter. Genetically modified Bt maize (MON810) that expresses an insecticidal Cry1Ab protein has been deployed in South Africa since 1998 to manage stem borers. The first report of field resistance of B. fusca to Bt maize was made during the 2006 cropping season. Resistant strains of this pest are expected have reduced fitness compared to susceptible individuals. Information regarding fitness of resistant individuals that survive on Bt maize could contribute to the understanding of resistance evolution as well as to development of improved resistance management strategies. Life history parameters of different B. fusca populations were compared in a laboratory study using diapause (spring) as well as second-generation (summer) populations. Sex ratio, pupal mass, fecundity and longevity of moths of field-collected Bt-resistant and susceptible B. fusca populations were compared. Slight adverse effects of Bt maize on fitness of the resistant summer-population were observed. The sex ratio was biased towards males in some resistant populations and towards females in susceptible populations. The resistant population had a lower mean pupal mass, shorter longevity of moths and reduced fecundity.', 'en_US'),
(3885, 'In vitro uptake of 140 kDa Bacillus thuringiensis nematicidal crystal proteins by the second stage juvenile of Meloidogyne hapla.', 'Plant-parasitic nematodes (PPNs) are piercing/sucking pests, which cause severe damage to crops worldwide, and are difficult to control. The cyst and root-knot nematodes (RKN) are sedentary endoparasites that develop specialized multinucleate feeding structures from the plant cells called syncytia or giant cells respectively. Within these structures the nematodes produce feeding tubes, which act as molecular sieves with exclusion limits. For example, Heterodera schachtii is reportedly unable to ingest proteins larger than 28 kDa. However, it is unknown yet what is the molecular exclusion limit of the Meloidogyne hapla. Several types of Bacillus thuringiensis crystal proteins showed toxicity to M. hapla. To monitor the entry pathway of crystal proteins into M. hapla, second-stage juveniles (J2) were treated with NHS-rhodamine labeled nematicidal crystal proteins (Cry55Aa, Cry6Aa, and Cry5Ba). Confocal microscopic observation showed that these crystal proteins were initially detected in the stylet and esophageal lumen, and subsequently in the gut. Western blot analysis revealed that these crystal proteins were modified to different molecular sizes after being ingested. The uptake efficiency of the crystal proteins by the M. hapla J2 decreased with increasing of protein molecular mass, based on enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay analysis. Our discovery revealed 140 kDa nematicidal crystal proteins entered M. hapla J2 via the stylet, and it has important implications in designing a transgenic resistance approach to control RKN.', 'en_US'),
(3886, 'Vip3A resistance alleles exist at high levels in Australian targets before release of cotton expressing this toxin.', 'Crops engineered to produce insecticidal crystal (Cry) proteins from the soil bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) have revolutionised pest control in agriculture. However field-level resistance to Bt has developed in some targets. Utilising novel vegetative insecticidal proteins (Vips), also derived from Bt but genetically distinct from Cry toxins, is a possible solution that biotechnical companies intend to employ. Using data collected over two seasons we determined that, before deployment of Vip-expressing plants in Australia, resistance alleles exist in key targets as polymorphisms at frequencies of 0.027 (n = 273 lines, 95% CI = 0.019–0.038) in H. armigera and 0.008 (n = 248 lines, 0.004–0.015) in H. punctigera. These frequencies are above mutation rates normally encountered. Homozygous resistant neonates survived doses of Vip3A higher than those estimated in field-grown plants. Fortunately the resistance is largely, if not completely, recessive and does not confer resistance to the Bt toxins Cry1Ac or Cry2Ab already deployed in cotton crops. These later characteristics are favourable for resistance management; however the robustness of Vip3A inclusive varieties will depend on resistance frequencies to the Cry toxins when it is released (anticipated 2016) and the efficacy of Vip3A throughout the season. It is appropriate to pre-emptively screen key targets of Bt crops elsewhere, especially those such as H. zea in the USA, which is not only closely related to H. armigera but also will be exposed to Vip in several varieties of cotton and corn.', 'en_US'),
(3887, 'The effects of seed size on hybrids formed between oilseed rape (Brassica napus) and wild brown mustard (B. juncea).', 'Background: Seed size has significant implications in ecology, because of its effects on plant fitness. The hybrid seeds that result from crosses between crops and their wild relatives are often small, and the consequences of this have been poorly investigated. Here we report on plant performance of hybrid and its parental transgenic oilseed rape (Brassica napus) and wild B. juncea, all grown from seeds sorted into three seed-size categories.\r\nMethodology/Principal Findings: Three seed-size categories were sorted by seed diameter for transgenic B. napus, wild B. juncea and their transgenic and non-transgenic hybrids. The seeds were sown in a field at various plant densities. Globally, small-seeded plants had delayed flowering, lower biomass, fewer flowers and seeds, and a lower thousand-seed weight. The seed-size effect varied among plant types but was not affected by plant density. There was no negative effect of seed size in hybrids, but it was correlated with reduced growth for both parents.\r\nConclusions: Our results imply that the risk of further gene flow would probably not be mitigated by the small size of transgenic hybrid seeds. No fitness cost was detected to be associated with the Bt-transgene in this study.', 'en_US'),
(3888, 'Modelling gene flow between fields of white clover with honeybees as pollen vectors.', 'The portion-dilution model is a parametric restatement of the conventional view of animal pollination; it predicts the level of pollinator-mediated gene dispersal. In this study, the model was applied to white clover (Trifolium repens) and its most frequent pollinator, the honeybee (Apis mellifera). One of the three parameters in the portion-dilution model is the mean number of flowers a pollinator visits in one foraging bout. An alternative method to estimate this parameter was developed that was not depending on pollinator hive-seeking behaviour. The new estimation method, based on nectar collection, seems to be a good alternative, when reliable observation on visiting behaviour of pollinators is not possible. The gene flow in white clover was modelled. Where fields were assumed to be well separated, and only a low fraction of bees travelled between fields, the gene flow was estimated to be 0.7%, but subjected to large uncertainty. In a worst case scenario with adjacent fields—one with a genetically modified (GM) T. repens cultivar and the other with a conventional T. repens cultivar—and where all arriving bees were expected to transfer GM pollen, the median gene flow was modelled to be 7% with an estimated 95% percentile of 70%. The results show that the European Union threshold limit of 0.9% GM admixture for food and feed will likely be exceeded at times and especially organic farmers that do not accept GM admixture and often have clover and clover–grass fields might face challenges with admixture of GM.', 'en_US'),
(3889, 'The integrated risk assessment of transgenic rice Oryza sativa: a comparative proteomics approach.', 'The identification of unintended effects resulting from genetic modification processes is an important but difficult aspect of evaluations of the biosafety of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Non-targeted techniques offer considerable potential for improving the detection of unintended effects of genetic modification in crop plants. In this study, total seed protein expression patterns of two strains of transgenic rice (Bt rice and PEPC rice) were examined using a comparative proteomics approach with two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE), and differences determined comparing to each line’s non GM counterpart. The results indicated that some of the seed proteins from the two transgenic rice lines differed in their relative intensities. Twenty eight proteins were successfully identified with MALDI-TOF-MS, five of which were well-characterized and these were discussed. In summary, transgenic rice were found to differ in their protein contents from their non-GM counterparts, which might raise concerns regarding their potential risks for human health and ecology.', 'en_US'),
(3890, 'Assessment on potential weediness of transgenic glufosinate resistant rice Minghui 86B. ', 'To evaluate potential environment safety for release of transgenic rice  Minghui 86B, the potential ecological risk of weediness of transgenic glufosinate-resistant rice Minghui 86B was assessed. The surviving and reproduction ability&amp;#65292;seed shattering, seed viability of transgenic glufosinate-resistant rice Minghui 86B, Minghui 86 and hybrid rice Shanyou 63 were comparatively evaluated in field, as well as their tolerance to flucetosulfuron in greenhouse. The surviving   and reproducing abilities of Minghui 86B and Minghui 86 were lower than that of Shanyou 63 both in the appropriate season and in the unfavorable season, especially in the latter. The surviving ability of Minghui 86B was lower than that of Minghui 86. The seed shattering of the three rice materials were weak, and no volunteer seedlings were found. After shallow and deep buried, the seed viability of transgenic rice was weaker than those of Shanyou 63 and Minghui 86. The tolerance of the three rice materials to herbicides flucetosulfuron was similar. It is concluded that potential weediness of the transgenic glufosinate-resistant rice Minghui 86B, was low in Nanjing, China.', 'en_US'),
(3891, 'Transgenic Anopheles stephensi coexpressing single-chain antibodies resist Plasmodium falciparum development.', 'Anopheles stephensi mosquitoes expressing m1C3, m4B7, or m2A10 single-chain antibodies (scFvs) have significantly lower levels of infection compared to controls when challenged with Plasmodium falciparum, a human malaria pathogen. These scFvs are derived from antibodies specific to a parasite chitinase, the 25 kDa protein and the circumsporozoite protein, respectively. Transgenes comprising m2A10 in combination with either m1C3 or m4B7 were inserted into previously-characterized mosquito chromosomal “docking” sites using site-specific recombination. Transgene expression was evaluated at four different genomic locations and a docking site that permitted tissue- and sex-specific expression was researched further. Fitness studies of docking site and dual scFv transgene strains detected only one significant fitness cost: adult docking-site males displayed a late-onset reduction in survival. The m4B7/m2A10 mosquitoes challenged with P. falciparum had few or no sporozoites, the parasite stage infective to humans, in three of four experiments. No sporozoites were detected in m1C3/m2A10 mosquitoes in challenge experiments when both genes were induced at developmentally relevant times. These studies support the conclusion that expression of a single copy of a dual scFv transgene can completely inhibit parasite development without imposing a fitness cost on the mosquito.', 'en_US'),
(3892, 'Higher taxa as surrogates of species richness of spiders in insect-resistant transgenic rice.', 'Biodiversity assessments can often be time- and resource-consuming. Several alternative approaches have been proposed to reduce sampling efforts, including indicator taxa and surrogates. In this study, we examine the reliability of higher taxon surrogates to predict species richness in two experimental rice fields of Fujian Province, southeastern China during 2005 and 2009. Spider samples in transgenic and nontransgenic plots were collected using a suction sampler. Both the genus and family surrogates had significant and positive linear relationships with species richness in the transgenic and nontransgenic rice fields. The rice varieties did not significantly influence the linear relationships. Our findings suggest that higher-taxon surrogacy could be a useful alternative to complete species inventory for risk assessments of transgenic rice.', 'en_US'),
(3893, 'Temporal and spatial expression of Bt toxic protein in transgenic Btcry3A hybrid poplar 741.', '', 'en_US'),
(3894, 'Seed bank persistence of genetically modified canola in California.', 'Introduction--Canola, which is genetically modified (GM) for tolerance to glyphosate, has the potential to become established as a new glyphosate resistant weed, thus reducing the effectiveness of glyphosate.\r\nMethods--Volunteer from dormant canola seeds produced thousands of plants per hectare in the fourth year (2011) following a 2007 crop harvest. This occurred with no additional canola seed production since the 2007 harvest.\r\nResults--Volunteer plants following harvests of annual crops are typically only a problem for the first year after harvest. In California, glyphosate is the core herbicide on over a million hectares of high value row, tree, and vine crops and new glyphosate resistant weeds reduce the effectiveness of glyphosate.\r\nConclusions--The combination of dormant seed and herbicide resistance makes GM glyphosate-resistant canola a new and difficult California weed which was first observed in the winter of 2009.', 'en_US'),
(3895, 'A brief survey regarding fate of Bt proteins synthesized by transgenic maize in soil.', 'Bt proteins are normally incorporated into soil together with plant residues, with sloughing of root cells, and potentially through the release of exudates from roots. Thus, Bt-toxins represent a possible risk for the soil ecosystem, and their potential impact on soil organisms may depend on their persistence. Under these circumstances, to understand the impact and risk of Bt-toxins on soil organisms, it is important to know how the different Bt-toxins vary in their degradation patterns. The differences in dissipation/persistence of Bt proteins in soil can be a function of soil type, environmental conditions, protein source (purified versus plant-produced), and the particular Cry protein examined. In this paper, we summarize insecicidal proteins synthesized by Bt plants commercially grown and the results of research regarding the persistance of Bt proteins in soil carried out in Romania and in other countries. These results provide evidence that Bt proteins do not accumulate in soil and reveal that the dissipation in soil of Bt proteins produced by genetically modified stacked maize was related to the type of endotoxin produced and not to the number of transgenes expressed.', 'en_US'),
(3896, 'Bt Cry toxin expression profile in selected Pakistani cotton genotypes.', '', 'en_US'),
(3897, 'Multivariate analysis linkage of phyllospheric microbial community of transgenic cotton from SGK321 to Cry1Ac: a temporal expression dynamics. ', 'The effects of transgenic plant on ecological and food biosafety have attracted considerable attention recently due to the exploding number of commercialization genetic modified plants. Here, we examined the changes of bacterial and fungal community compositions in the phyllosphere of Cry1Ac Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) cotton SGK321 by molecular fingerprint method at four major growth stages. The phyllospheric bacteria diversity of SGK321 was decreased at budding stage only, indicated by Shannon index. A slight increase of diversity and abundance of fungal community could be detected at different sampling stage except the seeding stage. Fungal community showed a tendency to be affiliated with the expression of Cry1Ac protein which was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method at both the seeding and budding stages. Results suggested that, compared to bacteria, fungi in phyllosphere of transgenic cotton SGK321 might be more susceptible to Cry1Ac protein, which includes Cochliobolus sp., Setosphaeria sp., Blakeslea trispora, Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus sp. Furthermore, the seasonal and temporal parameters during the growth stages were proved to be the most important factor relating with the shift of phyllospheric microorganism communities.', 'en_US'),
(3898, 'Current situation of research on transgenic crops with herbicide tolerance and development prospect.', '', 'en_US'),
(3899, 'Assessment of transgene flow in tomato and potential effects of genetically modified tomato expressing Cry3Bb1 toxins on bumblebee feeding behaviour.', 'One of the concerns surrounding the commercial release of genetically modified (GM) crops is the escape of transgenes into agricultural or semi-natural habitats through vertical gene flow, as this may cause environmental or economic problems. There is also the concern that GM crops may affect pollinators and the pollination services they provide. Despite the growing commercial interest of GM tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), gene flow has been assessed only sparsely in tomato. To evaluate the likelihood of gene flow from GM tomato plants to sexually compatible plants, and to assess whether bumblebee activity is affected by GM tomato, three experiments were conducted under greenhouse conditions, using a Bt-tomato expressing the insecticidal Cry3Bb1 protein as model system: (a) artificial crosses between a GM tomato line, two wild tomato relatives (Solanum hirsutum and Solanum nigrum) and a non-GM tomato variety; (b) bumblebee-mediated crosses between GM and non-GM tomato plants and (c) visual observations of bumblebees'' feeding behaviour. No hybrids were obtained between the GM tomato line and S. hirsutum and S. nigrum. In an experimental design where non-GM receptor plants outnumbered GM plants by approximately 3:1, the bumblebee-mediated cross-fertilisation rate between GM and non-GM tomato plants was measured at 4.3 ± 5.47%. No significant differences in feeding behaviour of bumblebees foraging on GM and non-GM tomato plants were observed. Therefore, we conclude that: (a) the probability of transgene introgression between the GM tomato line used in this study and its wild relatives S. hirsutum and S. nigrum is negligible; (b) bumblebee activity can mediate cross-fertilisation between GM and non-GM tomato and (3) the Cry3Bb1-expressing tomato line tested does not adversely affect the feeding behaviour of bumblebees.', 'en_US'),
(3900, 'Overview of principles and implementations to deal with spatial issues in monitoring environmental effects of genetically modified organisms. ', 'The approval of genetically modified organisms [GMO] for deliberate release and placing on the market requires GMO environmental risk assessment [ERA] and GMO environmental monitoring [EM]. Both GMO ERA and GMO EM are still under discussion. The goal of this article is, firstly, to analyse principles of GMO EM as published in the Association of German Engineers [VDI] Guideline 4330 Part 1, focusing on the characterisation of the receiving environment affected by GMO cultivation and the representativeness of GMO EM to assess large-scale implications of GMO cultivation. Secondly, the article introduces measures to meet these issues by the use of map data and statistics within a geographical information system [GIS]. Finally, three case studies exemplify the application of data and methods. To deal with spatial issues of GMO EM as outlined in the VDI Guideline 4330 Part 1, a GIS-based approach is presented. It relies on both spatial data collected from several sources which were derived from sample point data and geostatistical and multivariate statistical methods within a GIS environment. Data used for describing the receiving environment and for planning and evaluating monitoring schemes comprise information about land use, climate, phenology, soil coverage, species distribution and ecoregions. The case studies deal with (1) ecological land classification for characterisation of GMO-receiving environments and representative EM, (2) selection of representative sites for modelling GMO dispersal, and (3) delineation and mapping of segregation distances. Even a systematic and stepwise-structured risk assessment cannot cover all risk relevant questions, especially large-scale, long-term and combinatory effects which may not occur before the conventional application of the respective GMO. Hence, GMO EM is crucial to deal with unanticipated and undesirable effects. The article gives an overview of a GIS implementation and relevant geodata promoting GMO EM.', 'en_US'),
(3901, 'Underlying reasons of the controversy over adverse effects of Bt toxins on lady beetle and lacewing larvae.', 'We outline important underlying reasons that fuel the decades-long controversy over adverse effects of Bt toxins expressed in genetically modified plants on beneficial, nontarget organisms. Inconsistent evaluation standards and asymmetrical levels of scrutiny applied to studies reporting significant adverse effects compared to those finding no adverse effects are described using the examples of the green lacewing (Chrysoperla carnea) and the two-spotted lady beetle (Adalia bipunctata). Additionally, the chosen style and concerted nature of the rather confrontational counter study and responses in the lady beetle cases bear striking similarities to other reported examples in the field of biosafety/risk science of genetically modified plants and to other fields of applied industrial techno-science that suggest deeper issues that go well beyond science. We call for a constructive and respectful scientific discourse where moving the frontiers of our collective knowledge forward takes center stage. Reported phenomena based on robust data must not be rejected or delegitimized on their being surprising and lacking an explained mechanism at the time of their discovery. Exploring mechanisms often requires entirely different expertise and methodologies than those of the discoverers. In particular, in biosafety/risk sciences, plurality of arguments and critical research approaches have to be embraced and actively encouraged rather than discredited or even silenced if we are to learn our ''late lessons'' from past technology introductions.', 'en_US'),
(3902, 'A controversy re-visited: is the coccinellid Adalia bipunctata adversely affected by Bt toxins?', 'Background:  In 2008/2009, Schmidt and colleagues published a study reporting lethal effects of the microbial Bt toxins Cry1Ab and Cry3Bb on the coccinellid biological control organisms Adalia bipunctata. Based on this study, in concert with over 30 other publications, Mon810 cultivation was banned in Germany in 2009. This triggered two commentaries and one experimental study all published in the journal ''Transgenic Research'' that question the scientific basis of the German ban or claim to disprove the adverse effects of the Bt toxins on A. bipunctata reported by Schmidt and colleagues, respectively. This study was undertaken to investigate the underlying reasons for the different outcomes and rebuts the criticism voiced by the two other commentaries.\r\nResults:  It could be demonstrated that the failure to detect an adverse effect by Alvarez-Alfageme and colleagues is based on the use of a significantly different testing protocol. While Schmidt and colleagues exposed and fed larvae of A. bipunctata continuously, Alvarez-Alfageme and colleagues applied an exposure/recovery protocol. When this exposure/recovery protocol was applied to a highly sensitive target insect, Ostrinia nubilalis, the lethal effect was either significantly reduced or disappeared altogether. When repeating the feeding experiments with the Bt toxin Cry1Ab using a combined protocol of both previous studies, again, a lethal effect on A. bipunctata larvae was observed. ELISA tests with Bt-toxin fed larvae and pupae confirmed ingestion of the toxin.\r\nConclusions:  The new data corroborates earlier findings that Cry1Ab toxin increases mortality in A. bipunctata larvae. It was also shown that the different applied testing protocols explained the contrasting results.', 'en_US'),
(3903, 'Assessment of regional capabilities for agricultural coexistence with genetically modified maize.', 'Background:  The coexistence of agricultural production with and without the use of genetically modified (GV) crops is supposed to be made possible in Germany by regulations, which include minimal distances of GV-fields to potentially susceptible crop fields and habitats. To explore the impact of these regulations on region specific coexistence potentials, we broadened the applicability of an existing method for the simulation of the spatial distribution of arable fields cropped with conventional, organic and GV-maize. We used simulations which combine a variety of minimum distances of GV-maize fields to assess regional specific options and limitations for coexistence.\r\nResults:  An existing method was extended to be applicable for different spatial scales, from the large (e.g. Federal State) to small (e.g. municipality). Input data consisted of cropping statistics, geometry of arable fields and protected areas. Scenarios of cropping situations included various minimal distances between GV-maize fields and protected areas and various proportions of maize within the areas. The results of the simulations represent possible distribution patterns of non-GV and GV-maize fields as well as the size of the remaining area in which additional GV-maize can be grown without violating the minimal distance rules. As suspected, increasing proportions of GV-maize and increasing minimal distances lower the areas suitable for additional GV-maize. However, the relation between the area of GV-maize grown and those suitable for GV-maize cultivation varied between the scenarios. Moreover, the variability between the municipalities was even more evident, due to varying landscape structure (proportion of maize, the ratio total arable land to maize, proportion of protected areas). Areas with high proportions of GV-maize, of protected areas and of maize could be problematical for coexistence. We discuss these parameters with regard to other coexistence studies.\r\nConclusions:  Our method is suitable to simulate the spatial distribution of fields cultivated with GV-crops and non-GV-crops on various scales. Simulations on the scale of a Federal State reveals those areas, in which coexistence could be problematical. Simulations on a county scale, however, allow more insight into options and restrictions for coexistence in relation to landscape structural characteristics, which also can be transferred to larger scales. On the scale of municipalities simulations can help to analyse the limits of coexistence in areas of high conflict potential, moreover this level is more realistic with regard to practical agricultural decisions on the farm level.', 'en_US'),
(3904, 'Putative effects of Cry1Ab to larvae of Adalia bipunctata -- reply to Hilbeck et al.', 'In their recent study, Hilbeck et al. (2012) report that Cry1Ab causes lethal effects on larvae of the ladybird beetle Adalia bipunctata when fed directly to the predator. Such toxic effects were not previously observed in a direct feeding study conducted by us (Álvarez-Alfageme et al. 2011). Because Hilbeck et al. (2012) claim that our study design did not allow us to detect any adverse effects we provide arguments for the value and relevance of our study in this commentary. Furthermore we discuss two additional published studies that have not revealed any direct effects of Cry1Ab on larvae of A. bipunctata and are not mentioned by Hilbeck et al. (2012). One of the studies was conducted in our laboratory under more realistic exposure conditions (Álvarez-Alfageme et al. 2011). Feeding A. bipunctata larvae with spider mites reared on Bt maize did not reveal any adverse effects on lethal and sublethal parameters of the predator. This was despite the fact that the larvae had ingested high amounts of biologically-active Cry1Ab protein. Thus, we do not see verified evidence that A. bipunctata larvae are sensitive to Cry1Ab at realistic worst-case exposure concentrations. This, together with the fact that A. bipunctata will be little exposed to Cry1Ab under field conditions, allows us to conclude that the risk of Bt maize to this predator is negligible. Support for this comes from the results of many Bt maize field studies that have not revealed evidence for direct Cry1Ab-effects on non-Lepidoptera species.', 'en_US'),
(3905, 'The German ban on GM maize MON810: scientifically justified or unjustified?', 'The ongoing controversies over genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in Europe remain intense. Assessing the risks associated with new technologies is crucial, and becomes particularly important for self-replicating GMOs used in open ecosystems. In general, scientific disagreement and debate is at the core of knowledge generation. However, in the GMO debate, it seems that pre-conceived conclusions can in some cases overshadow real data and factual results of investigations. In this article, we describe how the German ban on the cultivation of MON810 Bt-transgenic maize plant has been criticized for not having a sound scientific justification and provide arguments for why we disagree with this perspective. We do this by demonstrating in detail how arguments put forward by Agnes Ricroch and colleagues in an article from Transgenic Research are based on i) serious scientific flaws, such as omitting core results and misrepresenting others; ii) inconsistency in how laboratory studies that show negative effects of GM plant exposure should be followed up; and iii) a systematic selection of particular results and/or studies that match their own arguments. We conclude that Ricroch et al. misrepresent and selectively scrutinize certain data only. The effect of this double standard is that those only reading or referring to Ricroch et al. will be seriously misinformed about our study as well as in the discussion on the 2009 German ban of the MON810 GM maize. However, we do not claim that the ban was finally and irreversibly justified by the science referred to, including our own studies within the field. The German ban on MON810 was, and must be, a political decision, guided by valid scientific evidence.', 'en_US'),
(3906, 'Impact of Bt-transgenic rice (SHK601) on soil ecosystems in the rhizosphere during crop development.', 'In contrast to other transgenic Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) crops (e.g. Bt maize and cotton), risk assessments of Bt rice on soil ecosystem are few. To assess the influence of Bt rice on rhizosphere soil ecosystems, soil samples from Bt, non-Bt and controls were taken at seedling, tillering, booting, heading and maturing stages. The activities of dehydrogenases, invertase, phenol oxidases, acid phosphatases, ureases and proteases showed no significant differences between Bt and non-Bt rice. A Biolog system was used to evaluate the effect of Bt rice on functional diversity of microbial communities. Although there were differences in carbon substrate utilization between Bt and non-Bt rice at seedling, tillering and heading stages, these differences were transient and not persistent. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) fingerprint patterns showed that Bt rice had little effect on the dominant rhizosphere bacterial, fungal and actinobacterial communities. The richness and consistency of microbial communities according to carbon substrate utilizations and DGGE band patterns did not differ significantly between Bt and non-Bt rice, and were close to that of control soil. There was no evidence to indicate apparent effects of Bt rice on soil enzyme activities, microbial community composition and functional diversity in this study.', 'en_US'),
(3907, 'Control of pollen-mediated gene flow in transgenic trees.', 'Pollen elimination provides an effective containment method to reduce direct gene flow from transgenic trees to their wild relatives. Until now, only limited success has been achieved in controlling pollen production in trees. A pine (Pinus radiata) male cone-specific promoter, PrMC2, was used to drive modified barnase coding sequences (barnaseH102E, barnaseK27A, and barnaseE73G) in order to determine their effectiveness in pollen ablation. The expression cassette PrMC2-barnaseH102E was found to efficiently ablate pollen in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum), pine, and Eucalyptus (spp.). Large-scale and multiple-year field tests demonstrated that complete prevention of pollen production was achieved in greater than 95% of independently transformed lines of pine and Eucalyptus (spp.) that contained the PrMC2-barnaseH102E expression cassette. A complete pollen control phenotype was achieved in transgenic lines and expressed stably over multiple years, multiple test locations, and when the PrMC2-barnaseH102E cassette was flanked by different genes. The PrMC2-barnaseH102E transgenic pine and Eucalyptus (spp.) trees grew similarly to control trees in all observed attributes except the pollenless phenotype. The ability to achieve the complete control of pollen production in field-grown trees is likely the result of a unique combination of three factors: the male cone/anther specificity of the PrMC2 promoter, the reduced RNase activity of barnaseH102E, and unique features associated with a polyploid tapetum. The field performance of the PrMC2-barnaseH102E in representative angiosperm and gymnosperm trees indicates that this gene can be used to mitigate pollen-mediated gene flow associated with large-scale deployment of transgenic trees.', 'en_US');
INSERT INTO `bibliography_bibliography_i18n` (`id`, `title`, `abstract`, `locale`) VALUES
(3908, 'Effect of Bt broccoli or plants treated with insecticides on ovipositional preference and larval survival of Plutella xylostella (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae).', 'The diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae), a major pest of cruciferous crops throughout the world, has demonstrated an ability to develop resistance to many different classes of insecticides, including proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis that are expressed in plants (Bt plants). The ovipositional preferences and larval survival of strains (resistant strain, RR; heterozygous strain, RS; susceptible strain, SS) of P. xylostella to Cry1Ac-expressing broccoli or broccoli plants treated with lambda-cyhalothrin or spinosad were studied under greenhouse condition. Numbers of eggs per plant did not differ between Bt broccoli and non-Bt broccoli for Bt-RR, Bt-RS, and Bt-SS adults. Ovipositing adults (spinosad-RR, spinosad-RS, and spinosad-SS) also could not discriminate between spinosad-treated and untreated plants, and oviposition did not increase over the 13 d after spinosad treatment. For broccoli treated with lambda-cyhalothrin at the diagnostic dose of 20 ppm, all three insect strains (Ic-RR, Ic-RS, and Ic-SS) had constant oviposition over time based on linear regressions. At the field dose of 80 ppm, the Ic-RR strain had constant oviposition over time. The Ic-SS susceptible strain had increasing oviposition over time, but the oviposition pattern on the nonsprayed broccoli also increased over time. Susceptible females layed fewer eggs on plants sprayed with lambda-cyhalothrin than on unsprayed plants. A residue-persistence test showed that spinosad and lambda-cyhalothrin could effectively control SS P. xylostella larvae for 7–9 d after application. These results are discussed in relation to their potential impact on insecticide resistance management strategies.', 'en_US'),
(3909, 'Intra-species mixture alters pest and disease severity in cotton.', 'Widespread planting of crops genetically modified to express Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxins for pest control may potentially affect nontarget pests and soil-borne disease. In this study, a field trial was conducted to explore the effects of habitat diversification, specifically an intraspecies mixture of genetically distinct cotton lines, on nontarget pests and soil-borne disease. It was hypothesized that the mixture would suppress disease severity and would alter pest and predator abundances. Results confirmed that a row-mixture of 75% insect-resistant cotton and 25% disease-resistant cotton suppressed Fusarium wilt and controlled cotton aphids. However, intercropping at the genotypic level increased mirid bug and sweetpotato whitefly densities in cotton. Moreover, the effect of the mixture on predator abundance ranged from neutral to positive and was highly variable among species and years. Species-specific pest responses to the crop mixture provide new insights for optimally sized and configured refuge construction in the future.', 'en_US'),
(3910, 'No accumulation of Bt protein in Phylloneta impressa (Araneae: Theridiidae) and prey arthropods in Bt maize.', 'In fields of genetically engineered maize that produce insecticidal Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) proteins, generalist predators are likely to be exposed to the toxin via prey consumption. For the assessment of risks of Bt proteins to nontarget species, information on Bt protein uptake, fate after feeding, and accumulation after long-term exposure is valuable. One objective of this study was to determine uptake and fate of Bt protein in an arthropod predator. Phylloneta impressa (L. Koch) spiders were fed with a single Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte western corn rootworm beetle or Chrysoperla carnea (Stephens) lacewing that were reared on Cry3Bb1-expressing Bt maize material. The Bt protein concentration measured in spiders 1 d after feeding was 55% of the concentration in beetles and 37% of the concentration in lacewings. Five days after feeding, the Bt protein concentration in P. impressa decreased by &amp;#8776;90%, indicating rapid excretion, digestion, or both. To investigate the potential accumulation of Cry3Bb1 in spiders, lacewings, and rootworm beetles, concentrations after a short period of feeding (1–8 d) on food containing Bt protein obtained in the present study were compared with published data on long-term continuous feeding (28–64 d). Concentrations of Cry3Bb1 after long-term feeding were similar or lower than those after short-term feeding, which indicates that the Bt protein does not accumulate in the tested arthropods over time.', 'en_US'),
(3911, 'Regulation of glyphosate-resistant sugar beets: challenges and uncertainty.', 'The introduction of genetically modified (GM) seeds has had a major impact on U.S. agriculture. In the face of increased availability of biotechnology products, the structure of field crop production has changed significantly. This has led to the adjustment of both the manner in which crops are grown and the inputs used in production.\r\nSugar beets provide approximately 50% of domestic sugar production (Figure 1). In 2005, glyphosate-resistant sugar beets, also known as Roundup Ready sugar beets (RRSB) were introduced to the U.S. production system. By 2010, nearly 95% of sugar beets produced in the United States were grown from glyphosate resistant seed varieties (USDA APHIS, 2010). Once processed, sugar from genetically modified beets is indistinguishable from sugar from conventional production although there are sometimes distinctions made about source through labeling for final consumers, such as “pure cane sugar” or “Michigan Pioneer Sugar” (Bonnette, 2004).\r\nLike other GM crops, introduction of RRSB has not been without controversy. Challenges to regulation of glyphosateresistant sugar beets are on-going and have fostered increased uncertainty throughout the supply chain and policymaking process. The deregulation of RRSB has led to a legal dispute over the approval of the genetically modified crop. This ongoing dispute has increased uncertainty for the industry and sugar beet production as approval and use has been called into question. Ultimately, outcomes of this case will have implications for adjustments in U.S. sugar production and for the regulatory approval process for GM crops more broadly.', 'en_US'),
(3912, 'Genetically modified crops and aquatic ecosystems: considerations for environmental risk assessment and non-target organism testing. ', 'Environmental risk assessments (ERA) support regulatory decisions for the commercial cultivation of genetically modified (GM) crops. The ERA for terrestrial agroecosystems is well-developed, whereas guidance for ERA of GM crops in aquatic ecosystems is not as well-defined. The purpose of this document is to demonstrate how comprehensive problem formulation can be used to develop a conceptual model and to identify potential exposure pathways, using Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) maize as a case study. Within problem formulation, the insecticidal trait, the crop, the receiving environment, and protection goals were characterized, and a conceptual model was developed to identify routes through which aquatic organisms may be exposed to insecticidal proteins in maize tissue. Following a tiered approach for exposure assessment, worst-case exposures were estimated using standardized models, and factors mitigating exposure were described. Based on exposure estimates, shredders were identified as the functional group most likely to be exposed to insecticidal proteins. However, even using worst-case assumptions, the exposure of shredders to Bt maize was low and studies supporting the current risk assessments were deemed adequate. Determining if early tier toxicity studies are necessary to inform the risk assessment for a specific GM crop should be done on a case by case basis, and should be guided by thorough problem formulation and exposure assessment. The processes used to develop the Bt maize case study are intended to serve as a model for performing risk assessments on future traits and crops.', 'en_US'),
(3913, 'The halo effect: suppression of pink bollworm on non-Bt cotton by Bt cotton in China.', 'In some previously reported cases, transgenic crops producing insecticidal proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) have suppressed insect pests not only in fields planted with such crops, but also regionally on host plants that do not produce Bt toxins. Here we used 16 years of field data to determine if Bt cotton caused this “halo effect” against pink bollworm (Pectinophora gossypiella) in six provinces of the Yangtze River Valley of China. In this region, the percentage of cotton hectares planted with Bt cotton increased from 9% in 2000 to 94% in 2009 and 2010. We found that Bt cotton significantly decreased the population density of pink bollworm on non-Bt cotton, with net decreases of 91% for eggs and 95% for larvae on non-Bt cotton after 11 years of Bt cotton use. Insecticide sprays targeting pink bollworm and cotton bollworm (Helicoverpa armigera) decreased by 69%. Previously reported evidence of the early stages of evolution of pink bollworm resistance to Bt cotton in China has raised concerns that if unchecked, such resistance could eventually diminish or eliminate the benefits of Bt cotton. The results reported here suggest that it might be possible to find a percentage of Bt cotton lower than the current level that causes sufficient regional pest suppression and reduces the risk of resistance.', 'en_US'),
(3914, 'Limited fitness advantages of crop-weed hybrid progeny containing insect-resistant transgenes (Bt/CpTI) in transgenic rice field.', 'Background:  The spread of insect-resistance transgenes from genetically engineered (GE) rice to its coexisting weedy rice (O. sativa f. spontanea) populations via gene flow creates a major concern for commercial GE rice cultivation. Transgene flow to weedy rice seems unavoidable. Therefore, characterization of potential fitness effect brought by the transgenes is essential to assess environmental consequences caused by crop-weed transgene flow.\r\nMethodology/Principal Findings:  Field performance of fitness-related traits was assessed in advanced hybrid progeny of F4 generation derived from a cross between an insect-resistant transgenic (Bt/CpTI) rice line and a weedy strain. The performance of transgene-positive hybrid progeny was compared with the transgene-negative progeny and weedy parent in pure and mixed planting of transgenic and nontransgenic plants under environmental conditions with natural vs. low insect pressure. Results showed that under natural insect pressure the insect-resistant transgenes could effectively suppress target insects and bring significantly increased fitness to transgenic plants in pure planting, compared with nontransgenic plants (including weedy parent). In contrast, no significant differences in fitness were detected under low insect pressure. However, such increase in fitness was not detected in the mixed planting of transgenic and nontransgenic plants due to significantly reduced insect pressure.\r\nConclusions/Significance:  Insect-resistance transgenes may have limited fitness advantages to hybrid progeny resulted from crop-weed transgene flow owning to the significantly reduced ambient target insect pressure when an insect-resistant GE crop is grown. Given that the extensive cultivation of an insect-resistant GE crop will ultimately reduce the target insect pressure, the rapid spread of insect-resistance transgenes in weedy populations in commercial GE crop fields may be not likely to happen.', 'en_US'),
(3915, 'Dispersal behavior of neonate European corn borer (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) on Bt corn. ', 'European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), has historically been a significant economically important insect pest of corn (Zea mays L.) in the United States and Canada. The development in the 1990s of genetically modified corn expressing genes derived from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) that encodes insecticidal crystalline (Cry) proteins has proven to be effective in controlling this insect as well as other corn pests. The purpose of this study was to assess the movement and dispersal behavior of neonate European corn borer on Bt corn. We examined differences in neonate European corn borer dispersal behavior for the first 4 h after eclosion in the field among a stacked pyramid (Cry1F × Cry1Ab × Cry34/35Ab1) Bt corn, a Cry1F Bt corn, and a non-Bt sweet corn; and in the laboratory among a Bt corn hybrid containing Cry1F, a hybrid containing Cry1Ab, a pyramid combining these two hybrids (Cry1F × Cry1Ab), and a non-Bt near isoline corn. In field experiments, we found that dispersal was significantly higher on Bt corn compared with sweet corn. In laboratory experiments, dispersal was significantly higher on Cry1Ab Bt corn and Cry1F × Cry1Ab Bt corn than on non-Bt near isoline corn. Results indicated that neonate dispersal may be significantly greater in Bt cornfields compared with non-Bt cornfields. The findings on dispersal behavior in this study will be useful in evaluating the efficacy of a blended seed refuge system for managing European corn borer resistance in Bt corn.', 'en_US'),
(3916, 'Western corn rootworm larval movement in SmartStax seed blend scenarios.', 'Insect resistance management (IRM) can extend the lifetime of management options, but depends on extensive knowledge of the biology of the pest species involved for an optimal plan. Recently, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) registered seed blends refuge for two of the transgenic Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) corn products targeting the western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte. Larval movement between Bt and isoline plants can be detrimental to resistance management for high dose Bt products because the larger larvae can be more tolerant of the Bt toxins. We assessed movement of western corn rootworm larvae among four spatial arrangements of SmartStax corn (expressing both the Cry34/35Ab1 and Cry3Bb1 proteins) and isoline plants by infesting specific plants with wild type western corn rootworm eggs. Significantly fewer western corn rootworm larvae, on average, were recovered from infested SmartStax plants than infested isoline plants, and the SmartStax plants were significantly less damaged than corresponding isoline plants. However, when two infested isoline plants surrounded a SmartStax plant, a significant number of larvae moved onto the SmartStax plant late in the season. These larvae caused significant damage both years and produced significantly more beetles than any other plant configuration in the study (including isoline plants) in the first year of the study. This plant configuration would occur rarely in a 5% seed blend refuge and may produce beetles of a susceptible genotype because much of their initial larval development was on isoline plants. Results are discussed in terms of their potential effects on resistance management.', 'en_US'),
(3917, 'Adaptation by western corn rootworm (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) to Bt maize: inheritance, fitness costs, and feeding preference.', 'We examined inheritance of resistance, feeding behavior, and fitness costs for a laboratory-selected strain of western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), with resistance to maize (Zea maize L.) producing the Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner (Bt) toxin Cry3Bb1. The resistant strain developed faster and had increased survival on Bt maize relative to a susceptible strain. Results from reciprocal crosses of the resistant and susceptible strains indicated that inheritance of resistance was nonrecessive. No fitness costs were associated with resistance alleles in the presence of two entomopathogenic nematode species, Steinernema carpocapsae Weiser and Heterorhabditis bacteriophora Poinar. Larval feeding studies indicated that the susceptible and resistant strains did not differ in preference for Bt and non-Bt root tissue in choice assays.', 'en_US'),
(3918, 'Bacillus thuringiensis protein transfer between rootstock and scion of grafted poplar.', 'Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) Cry1Ac protein is a toxin against different leaf-eating lepidopteran insects that attack poplar trees. In the present study, the mode of migration of the Bt-Cry1Ac protein within poplar grafts was investigated. Grafting was done using Pb29 (transgenic poplar 741 with cry1Ac genes), CC71 (transgenic poplar 741 with cry3A genes), non-transgenic poplar 741 and non-transgenic Populus tomentosa, either as scion or as rootstock. In order to detect migration of Bt-Cry1Ac protein from one portion of the graft union to different tissues in the grafted plant, ELISA analysis was employed to assess the content of Bt-Cry1Ac protein in the phloem, xylem, pith and leaves of the grafted poplar. To further verify migration of Bt-Cry1Ac protein, Clostera anachoreta larvae, which are susceptible to Bt-Cry1Ac protein, were fed leaves from the control graft (i.e., graft portion that originally did not contain Bt-Cry1Ac protein). The results showed that Bt-Cry1Ac protein was transported between rootstock and scion mainly through the phloem. Migration of Bt-Cry1Ac protein in the grafted union was also evidenced in that the leaves of the control graft did have a lethal effect on C. anachoreta larvae in laboratory feeding experiments.', 'en_US'),
(3919, 'Climate change and food security: the role of biotechnology.', 'Several climate change related factors including temperature increases, changes in rainfall patterns and outbreak of pests and diseases negatively affect agricultural productivity and food security. Climate change effects significantly increase production risk and rural vulnerability, particularly in regions that already suffer from chronic soil and water resource scarcity or high exposure to climatic extremes, such as droughts and flooding. The effects of climate change on agriculture may depend not only on changing climate conditions, but also on the agricultural sector’s ability to adapt through changes in technology and demand for food. Significant proportions of the growing populations in developing countries derive their livelihoods from agriculture and are, therefore, vulnerable to climate change effects. The task of eradicating extreme poverty and hunger by 2015, as per Millennium Development Goals, will require both regional and global research efforts and concrete actions among which biotechnology adoption plays a key role. Advances in biotechnology can lead to cutting-edge technologies in agriculture. However, sub-Saharan Africa faces an uphill task with regard to the adoption and use of agricultural biotechnology. The potential to improve the livelihoods of resource-poor farmers is a strong incentive to meet the challenge. This paper reviews research work on climate change in relation to increasing food insecurity situation in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), and the significance of plant biotechnology in reversing the disturbing food insecurity trends on the continent. To move plant biotechnology forward, the paper recommends that African countries institutionalize effective bio-safety regulatory frameworks, and commit resources to capacity building and provision of infrastructure for biotechnology development. Funding of Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) related research into tropical and sub-tropical staple foods, suitable for the needs of small-scale farmers in SSA countries, is strongly recommended. There is also the need for researchers to engage in effective education and communication with the general public so as to enhance adoption of biotechnological products in Africa.', 'en_US'),
(3920, 'The design and implementation of insect resistance management programs for Bt crops.', 'Cotton and corn plants with insect resistance traits introduced through biotechnological methods and derived from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) have been widely adopted since they were first introduced in 1996. Because of concerns about resistance evolving to these Bt crops, they have been released with associated IRM programs that employ multiple components and reflect the input of academic, industrial and regulatory experts. This paper summarizes the current status of Bt crop technologies in cotton and corn, the principles of IRM for Bt crops and what they mean for the design of IRM programs. It describes how these IRM programs have been implemented and some of the key factors affecting successful implementation. Finally, it suggests how they may evolve to properly steward these traits in different geographies around the world. The limited number of reported cases of resistance after more than 15 years of intensive global use of Bt crops suggest that this exercise has been broadly successful. Where resistance issues have been observed, they have been associated with first generation technologies and incomplete or compromised IRM programs (i.e., inadequate structured refuge). Next generation technologies with multiple pyramided modes of action, together with the implementation of IRM strategies that are more dependent upon manufacturing and less dependent upon grower behavior, such as seed mixes, should further enhance IRM programs for Bt crops.', 'en_US'),
(3921, 'Application of pyramided traits against Lepidoptera in insect resistance management for Bt crops. ', 'Since initial launch of insect protected transgenic crops, the most effective strategy to manage the potential for target pests to evolve resistance has been the use of a single mode of action with “high dose” and structured refuge. However, the effectiveness of this strategy is limited if mortality of certain pests does not reach “high dose” criteria, inconsistent implementation of refuges and non-rare resistance alleles. More recently, several pyramided trait products, which include multiple modes of action against key target pests, have been developed. These products offer the potential for dramatically improved resistance management with smaller refuges and less dependence on high mortality of susceptible and heterozygous insects and rare resistance alleles. We show that products such as SmartStax and PowerCore offer compelling resistance management benefits compared with single mode of action products and allow for the option of products containing refuge seed mixtures rather than structured refuges to effectively delay resistance. We conclude that all stakeholders, including technology developers, growers, crop advisors, extensions services and regulatory authorities should continue to encourage the development, deployment and adoption of pyramided trait products for improved pest management and improved resistance management.', 'en_US'),
(3922, 'How to build the non-host plant for stability in insect resistance management. ', 'We consider using non-host plants that express both a toxin and oviposition deterrence for to increase stability for insect resistance management. The two traits reinforce each other ecologically. We used a two-gene model to evaluate this combination of traits. When toxin resistance was recessive or partially recessive, even moderate levels of oviposition deterrence extended time to resistance. When sensitivity to oviposition deterrence started at a low frequency (0.001) selection pressure from the toxin caused the frequency of the gene for sensitivity to oviposition deterrence to increase and the time to resistance was extended beyond the 150-y timeline of the simulations. Even in the worst-case scenario, when toxin resistance was dominant, oviposition deterrence extended time to resistance up to 150 y. The genes for toxin and sensitivity to oviposition deterrence support each other ecologically to prevent resistance from developing to either trait. This creates a more stable insect resistance management strategy.', 'en_US'),
(3923, 'Genetically engineered vegetables expressing proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis for insect resistance: successes, disappointments, challenges and ways to move forward.', 'Genetically engineered (GE) insect-resistant crops that express proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) have been widely adopted in the two field crops currently commercially available, Bt cotton and Bt corn. However, the development and commercialization of Bt vegetables has lagged in comparison, which is unfortunate since vegetables tend to be insecticide-intensive crops due to high pest pressure and cosmetic standards required for the market. While it is often stated that consumer choice has played a major role in companies avoiding development of Bt vegetables, this concept requires re-evaluation. In market studies in North America when consumers have been provided basic information about Bt genetic engineering, then given a choice between Bt and conventional sweet corn, they have often preferred the former. Likewise, 77% of consumers in a US survey said they would likely purchase foods produced through biotechnology for their ability to reduce pesticide use. Presently, however, the only commercialized Bt vegetable is sweet corn. Perhaps more critical obstacles to Bt vegetables are their relatively smaller acreages and the cost of government biosafety regulations that inadvertently favor large acreage of field crops because companies can obtain a better return on investment. In developing countries, private-public partnerships may provide the vehicle to bring Bt vegetables to market. However, these can be subverted by misinformation from anti-biotech campaigns, as is the case with Bt eggplant in India. Without the use of Bt vegetables as a tool for integrated pest management, farmers and the general public will not be able to realize the substantial environmental and economic benefits that have been well documented with Bt cotton and Bt corn.', 'en_US'),
(3924, 'Understanding successful resistance management: the European corn borer and Bt corn in the United States.', 'The European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis Hübner (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) has been a major pest of corn and other crops in North America since its accidental introduction nearly a hundred years ago. Wide adoption of transgenic corn hybrids that express toxins from Bacillus thuringiensis, referred to as Bt corn, has suppressed corn borer populations and reduced the pest status of this insect in parts of the Corn Belt. Continued suppression of this pest, however, will depend on managing potential resistance to Bt corn, currently through the high-dose refuge (HDR) strategy. In this review, we describe what has been learned with regard to O. nubilalis resistance to Bt toxins either through laboratory selection experiments or isolation of resistance from field populations. We also describe the essential components of the HDR strategy as they relate to O. nubilalis biology and ecology. Additionally, recent developments in insect resistance management (IRM) specific to O. nubilalis that may affect the continued sustainability of this technology are considered.', 'en_US'),
(3925, 'Sustained susceptibility of pink bollworm to Bt cotton in the United States.', 'Evolution of resistance by pests can reduce the benefits of transgenic crops that produce toxins from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) for insect control. One of the world’s most important cotton pests, pink bollworm (Pectinophora gossypiella), has been targeted for control by transgenic cotton producing Bt toxin Cry1Ac in several countries for more than a decade. In China, the frequency of resistance to Cry1Ac has increased, but control failures have not been reported. In western India, pink bollworm resistance to Cry1Ac has caused widespread control failures of Bt cotton. By contrast, in the state of Arizona in the southwestern United States, monitoring data from bioassays and DNA screening demonstrate sustained susceptibility to Cry1Ac for 16 y. From 1996–2005, the main factors that delayed resistance in Arizona appear to be abundant refuges of non-Bt cotton, recessive inheritance of resistance, fitness costs associated with resistance and incomplete resistance. From 2006–2011, refuge abundance was greatly reduced in Arizona, while mass releases of sterile pink bollworm moths were made to delay resistance as part of a multi-tactic eradication program. Sustained susceptibility of pink bollworm to Bt cotton in Arizona has provided a cornerstone for the pink bollworm eradication program and for integrated pest management in cotton. Reduced insecticide use against pink bollworm and other cotton pests has yielded economic benefits for growers, as well as broad environmental and health benefits. We encourage increased efforts to combine Bt crops with other tactics in integrated pest management programs', 'en_US'),
(3926, 'Helicoverpa zea and Bt cotton in the United States.', 'Helicoverpa zea (Boddie), the bollworm or corn earworm, is the most important lepidopteran pest of Bt cotton in the United States. Corn is the preferred host, but the insect feeds on most flowering crops and wild host plants. As a cotton pest, bollworm has been closely linked to the insecticide-resistance prone Heliothis virescens (F.), tobacco budworm. Immature stages of the two species are difficult to separate in field environments. Tobacco budworm is very susceptible to most Bt toxins, and Bt cotton is considered to be “high dose.” Bollworm is less susceptible to Bt toxins, and Bt cotton is not “high dose” for this pest. Bt cotton is routinely sprayed with traditional insecticides for bollworm control. Assays of bollworm field populations for susceptibility to Bt toxins expressed in Bt cotton have produced variable results since pre-deployment of Bt cottons in 1988 and 1992. Analyses of assay response trends have been used by others to suggest that field resistance has evolved to Bt toxins in bollworm, but disagreement exists on definitions of field resistance and confidence of variable assay results to project changes in susceptibility of field populations. Given historical variability in bollworm response to Bt toxins, erratic field control requiring supplemental insecticides since early field testing of Bt cottons, and dramatic increases in corn acreage in cotton growing areas of the Southern US, continued vigilance and concern for resistance evolution are warranted.', 'en_US'),
(3927, 'Successes and challenges of managing resistance in Helicoverpa armigera to Bt cotton in Australia.', 'Bt cotton has been gradually released and adopted by Australian growers since 1996. It was initially deployed in Australia primarily to control the polyphagous pest Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner), which in the 1990s became increasingly difficult to control due to widespread resistance to synthetic chemical insecticides. Bt-cotton has become a key tool in a program of integrated pest management for the production system that reduces pesticide dependence and the problems associated with its use. Herein we overview the deployment of Bt cotton in Australia including its performance and the approaches used to prolong the evolution of resistance to it by H. armigera. An integral component of this approach is monitoring resistance in this pest. We outline resistance screening methods, as well as the characteristics of resistant strains of H. armigera that have been isolated from field populations, or selected in the laboratory. We then highlight the successes and challenges for Bt cotton in Australia by way of discussing adaptive resistance management in light of potential changes in resistance.', 'en_US'),
(3928, 'Western corn rootworm and Bt maize: challenges of pest resistance in the field.', 'Crops genetically engineered to produce insecticidal toxins from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) manage many key insect pests while reducing the use of conventional insecticides. One of the primary pests targeted by Bt maize in the United States is the western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte. Beginning in 2009, populations of western corn rootworm were identified in Iowa, USA that imposed severe root injury to Cry3Bb1 maize. Subsequent laboratory bioassays revealed that these populations were resistant to Cry3Bb1 maize, with survival on Cry3Bb1 maize that was three times higher than populations not associated with such injury. Here we report the results of research that began in 2010 when western corn rootworm were sampled from 14 fields in Iowa, half of which had root injury to Cry3Bb1 maize of greater than 1 node. Of these samples, sufficient eggs were collected to conduct bioassays on seven populations. Laboratory bioassays revealed that these 2010 populations had survival on Cry3Bb1 maize that was 11 times higher and significantly greater than that of control populations, which were brought into the laboratory prior to the commercialization of Bt maize for control of corn rootworm. Additionally, the developmental delays observed for control populations on Cry3Bb1 maize were greatly diminished for 2010 populations. All 2010 populations evaluated in bioassays came from fields with a history of continuous maize production and between 3 and 7 y of Cry3Bb1 maize cultivation. Resistance to Cry34/35Ab1 maize was not detected and there was no correlation between survival on Cry3Bb1 maize and Cry34/35Ab1 maize, suggesting a lack of cross resistance between these Bt toxins. Effectively dealing with the challenge of field-evolved resistance to Bt maize by western corn rootworm will require better adherence to the principles of integrated pest management.', 'en_US'),
(3929, 'Safety of genetically modified (GM) crop ingredients in animal feed.', '', 'en_US'),
(3930, 'Expression of the Cry1Ab toxin in transgenic corn YieldGard(R) in the eastern plains of Colombia.', 'The knowledge of the Bt toxin concentracion within a transgenic plant is basic for the estimation of the performance of the insect pest aimed to be managed with this technology. In a commercial lot at the National Cereal Federation (FENALCE) in the municipality of Granada (Meta), Colombia, samples from plants of transgenic maize YieldGard® were taken to determine the average concentracion of the Cry1Ab toxin. In the laboratory by means of the sandwich ELISA assay, the protein was quantified in vegetative and reproductive tissues with the kit “for Cry1Ab/Cry1Ac Qualiplate Envirologix.” For this purpose, leaves, stem, ear, ear styles, husk, cob, and corn kernels were lyophilized. The analyses indicated that expression fluctuates between tissues from the same plant and between plants in the same plot. The average concentracion of Cry1Ab was: 8.97 &amp;#956;g/g fresh weight in leaves (V7), 8.96 in stems, 2.30 in male inflorescence (VT), 9.57 in unfertilized styles, 7.27 in fertilized styles (R1), 8.39 in cob (R3), 12.19 in husks, and 1.85 &amp;#956;g/g fresh weight in grains (R3). concentracions in seeds and leaves were similar to those obtained in the U.S.A. and Europe. This marked difference in the toxin expression makes Bt corn a plant susceptible to some pests, because there is no uniformity in the Cry1Ab concentracion in the tissues consumed.', 'en_US'),
(3931, 'Genetically modified organisms (GMOs): food security or threat to food safety.', 'Biotechnology is a vital issue that impacts all of us. Development of genetically modified organisms is one of the highest achievements of this technology. It is being released throughout our environment and deployed with superficial or no risk assessments about its matchless powers to harm life. Within the next few years, many types of transgenic commodities will be ready for commercialization, including varieties with higher yields, greater tolerance of biotic and abiotic stresses, resistance to herbicides, improved nutritional quality, and novel pharmaceutical proteins. Transgenes present therein are expected to disperse to nearby weedy and wild relatives through pollen-mediated gene flow. Information is scarce about health hazards, such as toxicity in GM crops. Therefore urgently need publicly available ecological assessments of the risks and benefits of transgenic crops before new varieties are released.', 'en_US'),
(3932, 'Facilitating the evaluation of possible environmental harm from genetic engineering.', 'The debate on the possible impact of genetically modified (GM) crops on biodiversity shows that so far there is no consensus on generally accepted assessment criteria for environmental harm. This debate stems primarily not from a shortage of data, but rather from the absence of criteria for assessing the effects of GM plants on biodiversity. Since there are no exact assessment criteria, regulatory decision-making processes are often not transparent and can be difficult to understand. This increases the danger that decisions on environmental risks from GM plants may appear arbitrary. The aim of the VERDI Project (Valuating environmental effects of genetically modified crops - ecological and ethical criteria for regulatory decision-making) is to develop recommendations for decision makers and licensing authorities, thus helping to improve the regulation of GM plants. The results show that both the unambiguous description of protection goals and the establishment of a basis of comparison are two essential criteria when defining harm. In the project we are working on suggestions for improving these two criteria.', 'en_US'),
(3933, 'Animal feeding studies for nutritional and safety assessments of feeds from genetically modified plants: a review.', 'In the future there will be a very strong competition between arable land use for phytogenic biomass production for feed/food, fuel, fibre and other industrial materials, as well as for settlements and natural conservation areas because of the growing population and limited natural resources. Therefore plants with high and stable yields, and requiring low external inputs (low input varieties) should be the main aim of plant breeding. In addition to traditional breeding, plant biotechnology seems to have the potential to contribute to this objective. Nutritional and safety studies with feed/food made from such modified plants are one of the most important prerequisite for public acceptance, and to improve knowledge in the feed/food sciences. The first step for the nutritional and safety assessment of such modified plants is the compositional analysis of potential feed/food, including the newly expressed proteins and other new constituents, and its comparison with conventional counterparts. In vitro studies and experiments with laboratory animals comprise the next steps of the assessment. About 70–90 % of the harvested biomass from genetically modified plants (GMPs) is consumed by food producing animals. Therefore, feeding studies with target animals are of special concern for nutritional assessment, and these are considered in more detail in the present paper. Up to now most studies have been done with GMPs of the 1st generation (plants with input traits, but without substantial changes in composition). Other experimental designs for nutritional and safety assessments are recommended for GMPs with output traits or with substantial changes in composition (plants of the 2nd generation).', 'en_US'),
(3934, 'Genetic characterization and gene flow in different geographical-distance neighbouring natural populations of wild soybean (Glycinesoja Sieb. &amp; Zucc.) and implications for protection from GM soybeans.', 'To design appropriate strategies for ex situ and in situ conservation of wild soybean and safeguard the biosafety of the wild soybean gene pool when genetically modified soybeans are grown, it is important to understand its genetic characteristics, and to quantify gene flow and kinship within and between neighboring populations. We analyzed 9 pairs of neighboring populations of wild soybeans using 20 pairs of nuclear SSR markers. Results showed that Chinese wild soybean natural populations had outcrossing rates of 0–3.5% and that most populations contained many kinship families. The kinship families could be attributed to the accumulation of outcrossed offspring within populations during the history of population colonization. Wild soybean is very sensitive to environmental selection, which results in genetic differentiation of populations, and the emergence of specific alleles. We used an index &amp;#964; to explain why genetic differences would exist between the pairwise populations; the interpopulation genetic differentiation chiefly consisted in the differences of allele frequencies over the genome. We found long-distance dispersal (1.5 km) of wild soybean seeds in a land ecosystem. There was close correlation between genetic and geographical distance among natural populations of Chinese wild soybean. Within a distance of 50 km, there was greater gene flow when the distance between populations was shorter. These findings have implications for ex situ and in situ conservation in an ecogeographical region, and also for protection of the gene pool from contamination by GM soybeans in wild soybean species.', 'en_US'),
(3935, 'Agronomic traits and gene containment capability of cleistogamous rice lines with the superwoman1-cleistogamy mutation.', 'Pollen-mediated transgene flow is a major concern for the production of genetically modified (GM) rice. Cleistogamy is a useful tool for preventing this form of gene flow. We previously identified the cleistogamous rice mutant superwoman1-cleistogamy (spw1-cls) and determined its molecular genetic mechanism. In the present study, we cultivated spw1-cls over five years to examine effects of cleistogamy on agronomic traits. Simultaneously, we cultivated cleistogamous backcross lines created by continuous backcrossing with “Yumeaoba” (a japonica cultivar) as the recurrent parent and by application of a DNA marker. In these experimental cultivations, spw1-cls and its backcross lines showed almost equal or slightly lower, but acceptable, agronomic traits compared with each control line. We also conducted natural crossing tests in paddy fields to assess the gene containment capability of spw1-cls. In a series of field experiments, there was no natural crossing between spw1-cls (pollen donor) and pollen recipient lines, but the wild-type donor and recipient lines were crossed. Thus, the cleistogamy of the spw1-cls mutation is able to inhibit natural crossing effectively, without significant loss of commercial benefits, such as yield. We conclude that spw1-cls cleistogamy is a practical tool for gene containment in GM rice cultivation.', 'en_US'),
(3936, 'Herbicide resistance: toward an understanding of resistance development and the impact of herbicide-resistant crops.', 'Development of herbicide-resistant crops has resulted in significant changes to agronomic practices, one of which is the adoption of effective, simple, low-risk, crop-production systems with less dependency on tillage and lower energy requirements. Overall, the changes have had a positive environmental effect by reducing soil erosion, the fuel use for tillage, and the number of herbicides with groundwater advisories as well as a slight reduction in the overall environmental impact quotient of herbicide use. However, herbicides exert a high selection pressure on weed populations, and density and diversity of weed communities change over time in response to herbicides and other control practices imposed on them. Repeated and intensive use of herbicides with the same mechanisms of action (MOA; the mechanism in the plant that the herbicide detrimentally affects so that the plant succumbs to the herbicide; e.g., inhibition of an enzyme that is vital to plant growth or the inability of a plant to metabolize the herbicide before it has done damage) can rapidly select for shifts to tolerant, difficult-to-control weeds and the evolution of herbicide-resistant weeds, especially in the absence of the concurrent use of herbicides with different mechanisms of action or the use of mechanical or cultural practices or both.\r\nThe purpose of this paper is to introduce the basic tenets of weed management, to define herbicide resistance and tolerance and how they affect crop production and are affected by management practices, and to present the environmental impacts of herbicide-resistant crops. This paper will summarize aspects of herbicide resistance in five different sections: (1) a description of basic weed science management practices and concepts, (2) definitions of resistance and tolerance in weed science, (3) environmental impacts of herbicide-resistant crops, (4) strategies for management of weed species shifts and herbicide-resistant weeds and adoption by the agricultural community, and (5) gene-flow potential from herbicide-resistant crops.', 'en_US'),
(3937, 'Genetically modified plants and plant protection problems: progress and estimation of potential risks.', 'In this review, the achievements and perspectives for the creation of transgenic plants are analyzed. Until now, virtually all commercially cultivated genetically modified plants have been developed for the purpose of getting a solution to the problem of plant protection: such plants carry transgenes conferring resistance to herbicides, pests, and viruses. Approaches used for the development of commercial genetically modified varieties resistant to herbicides, insects, and viruses were considered; strategic approaches and perspectives for the development of commercial genetically modified plants resistant to fungal and bacterial pathogens and nematodes were also examined. The ecological (including agronomic issues) and social risks connected with commercial cultivation of transgenic crops were discussed.', 'en_US'),
(3938, 'The impact of corn rootworm protected biotechnology traits in the United States.', 'Recently, one type of corn rootworm has developed resistance to a single strain of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) that is genetically engineered into corn seed. This resistance development has occurred in small, localized areas of the Corn Belt, where corn has been grown continuously for a period of time. Some have suggested that the remedy for this problem is to revert back to a significantly higher-percentage, structured refuge to avoid further resistance development. This article explores the economic consequences of such a plan. Those consequences include lower average corn yields, leading to higher corn prices for all consumers of corn (including livestock producers) and corn sweetener, ethanol producers, and consumers of corn globally; less net income for corn producers; higher yield variability, leading to higher price volatility; negative environmental impacts; and higher human-safety risks. A more balanced approach to the problem is recommended; this includes best management, integrated pest-management practices, a phasing out of single corn rootworm-traited corn, and increased use of multiple corn rootworm-traited corn.', 'en_US'),
(3939, 'Rough terrain for research: Studying early adopters of biotech crops.', 'Measuring the economic impacts of GM crops in developing agriculture poses particular challenges. In order to ensure that information generated is relevant and usable, continued improvement in methods is needed as diffusion of these crops steadily expands. In the first decade of published studies, given the characteristics of early adoption, researchers were not often able to effectively control for various types of potential bias created by sampling, measurement, or estimation methods. Several published studies present exemplary approaches. The objective of pilot studies assembled here, all based on farmer surveys, was to attempt to apply recommended approaches within a constrained budget of $20,000-40,000 in countries and crops that had received little research attention. Case studies present findings, illustrate difficulties, and suggest means of overcoming them. Overall, we call for establishing research consortia to monitor the impacts of GM crops based on comprehensive national sampling frames in which ad hoc surveys can be embedded.', 'en_US'),
(3940, 'Unweaving the threads: the experiences of female farmers with biotech cotton in Colombia.', 'Although the literature on gender in agriculture is extensive, gender has been under studied in the published literature about biotech crops in developing countries. To explore whether gender affects access to and use of biotech cotton, we developed and tested a participatory, qualitative approach. Despite the perception that women participate little in cotton production in Colombia, some women manage their own plots, and many share production responsibilities with their spouses. Men and women perceive the costs and benefits of biotech cotton differently. Female farmers who managed their own plots stated that they preferred insect-resistant varieties over conventional varieties primarily because these reduce the number of laborers they must hire to spray pesticides, a task performed solely by men. Both male and female farmers identified the lack of adequate and timely information about biotech cotton as a major disadvantage, but the problem appeared to be more limiting for female farmers.', 'en_US');
INSERT INTO `bibliography_bibliography_i18n` (`id`, `title`, `abstract`, `locale`) VALUES
(3941, 'Caught between scylla and charybdis: impact estimation issues from the early adoption of GM maize in Honduras.', 'Insect-resistant/herbicide-tolerant (Bt/RR) maize has been approved for commercialization in Honduras, and has been sold commercially since 2006. In 2007-2008, we conducted a survey of 113 farmers in the country, including 67 Bt/RR adopters and 46 conventional maize users. We also conducted agronomic, small- and large-plot experiments in situ and one crop-cycle planting with a Farmer Field School. Adopters were few and difficult to locate in a random sampling framework. We applied a battery of diagnostic and estimation methods to address these problems of outliers and endogeneity. Results based on robust and instrumental variables regression of survey data suggest that in the presence of target insects, producers may observe reduced pest damage and/or a decrease in pesticide applications. Results are quite sensitive to the presence of outliers. Nevertheless, results from the agronomic, in situ, and Farmer Field School tend to support the conclusions from our survey analysis.', 'en_US'),
(3942, 'Impacts of Bt maize on smallholder income in the Philippines.', 'Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) maize is the first genetically modified crop to be introduced to Philippine farmers. Since its commercialization in 2003, evidence has accumulated regarding the economic benefits of adopting Bt maize. Based on data collected from 466 farmers, this research focuses specifically on the selection and endogeneity bias that has not yet been explicitly addressed; it also tests the impacts of adoption on net farm income, off-farm income of the farmer, and total household income, including income from crops and livestock, off-farm income of the farmer, and income of all household members. Regression results are compared for OLS regress and two types of instrumental variables methods. Accounting for self-selection and endogeneity, adoption of Bt maize increases net farm income, off-farm income, and household income. The predicted probability that a household’s income falls below the poverty line is lower among Bt maize adopters. However, we have not fully addressed placement bias.', 'en_US'),
(3943, 'GM maize as subsistence crop: the South African smallholder experience.', 'The South African smallholder GM maize experience has been—to date and internationally—the only example where a subsistence crop is produced by smallholder resource poor-farmers using GM seed. Their experience is thus of great interest, especially to African decision makers, international food and agricultural organizations, and the technology innovators. This article sheds light on eight years of research investigating the socio-economic impacts of GM maize adoption by smallholder farmers in South Africa. The main objective of the article is to highlight methodological and practical research challenges faced in this project in order to inform future socio-economic impact assessments and to contextualize research findings. Limited project findings are presented in the form of a discussion on the characteristics of early-adopting farmers and the yield impacts of GM maize adoption over the eight season period, emphasizing the variability between seasons and to show how methodological limitations impact research findings.', 'en_US'),
(3944, 'Bi-modal preferences for Bt maize in the Philippines: a latent class model.', 'The only country in Asia to have approved a biotech food or feed crop is the Philippines, where Bt maize was initially commercialized in 2003. This study uses the choice experiment method and a latent class model to differentiate among maize producers and estimate their willingness to pay for Bt seed and other important attributes. Two segments are identified with markedly different willingness to pay and different preferences with respect to information and seed acquisition. The bi-modality of preferences confirms the importance of marketing and extension strategies that are tailored to the diversity of farm populations and agro-ecologies of the maize sector in the Philippines. The supply of credit for seed acquisition is likely to constitute an important policy instrument for diffusing all improved, yellow maize seed, including both biotech and non-biotech hybrids. The authors consider the choice experiment method as an appropriate technique to investigate the preferences of new seed adopters but caution applied researchers regarding its hypothetical bias, framing, and preparation.', 'en_US'),
(3945, 'A case of resistance: herbicide-tolerant soybeans in Bolivia. ', 'The Bolivian National Constitution of 2009 prohibits the commercialization of genetically modified organisms, but the decree permitting the unique event of glyphosate resistance was enacted earlier. Herbicide-tolerant (HT) soybean is the only transgenic crop grown by farmers in Bolivia, introduced initially by farmers. This pilot study of smallholders was conducted in the midst of political sensitivities and exceptional weather. Results support the hypotheses that adoption of HT soybeans is associated with use of less toxic herbicides and that Mennonite farmers are a primary source of HT seed and related information. The association that subsidized non-HT growers is the major source for conventional seed. Using a control function approach to address endogeneity and selection bias with censored outcome variables, we find that HT soybean adoption has a large, positive impact on household off-farm income and is positively related to off-farm work of the second major contributor to soybean production (wife or children of household head), but not that of the first (household head).', 'en_US'),
(3946, 'Analysis of contracting alternatives for switchgrass as a production alternative on an East Tennessee beef and crop farm.', 'The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 has prompted the development of renewable energy. The research objective was to determine what contracting terms provide sufficient incentives for farmers to establish switchgrass on high- and low-quality cropland compared to traditional enterprises on a representative East Tennessee farm. Contracting alternatives, including a spot market, University of Tennessee Biofuels Initiative, and an expected yield contract, were analyzed. It was determined that contracting incentives analyzed would not be sufficient to encourage switchgrass production on any cropland on the representative farm.', 'en_US'),
(3947, 'Brazilian GMO regulation: does it have an environmental approach?', 'Brazil is the second largest producer of genetically modified crops (GM crops) and the National Technical Commission on Biosafety (CTNBio) the decision making agency on this matter. The country uses Risk Analysis (RA) and project EIA as tools for biosafety evaluation. This paper aims to review the appropriateness of these tools for evaluating the environmental impacts of GM crops, also considering institutional aspects. An overview of the process of release of GM crops in Brazil along with important operational and institutional aspects is provided. The results indicate that project EIA could be applied to GM crops in specific sites and RA could give support to the evaluation of GM crop itself. Regarding institutional issues, it is concluded that decisions should be made by the environmental bodies, and not by the CTNBio.', 'en_US'),
(3948, 'Compositional and toxicological analysis of a GM potato line with reduced alpha-solanine content -- a 90-day feeding study in the Syrian Golden hamster.', 'Steroidal glycoalkaloids (GAs) are toxins, produced by plants of the Solanaceae family. The potato plant (Solanum tuberosum L.) and its tubers predominantly contain the two GAs &amp;#945;-chaconine and &amp;#945;-solanine. These compounds are believed to act in synergy, and the degree of toxicity may therefore depend on their ratio in the potato. To determine the influence of &amp;#945;-solanine: &amp;#945;-chaconine ratio in potatoes on toxicity, a GM potato line (SGT 9-2) with reduced &amp;#945;-solanine content, and the parental control line (Desirée wild-type) having a traditional &amp;#945;-solanine: &amp;#945;-chaconine ratio were (1) studied for compositional similarity by analysing for a range of potato constituents, and (2) used in a 90-day feeding trial with the Syrian Golden hamster to study differential toxicity. The animal feeding study used diets with up to 60% freeze-dried potato powder from either line. Whilst data indicated some compositional differences between the GM line and its wildtype control these did not raise concerns related to nutritional value or safety. Results of the feeding trials showed a low number of significant differences between potato lines with different &amp;#945;-solanine: &amp;#945;-chaconine ratio but none were considered to raise safety concerns with regard to human (or animal) consumption.', 'en_US'),
(3949, 'Studies on degradation dynamics of Cry1Ac protein from different types of transgenic Bt cotton in soil.', 'The degradation dynamics of toxin protein released by transgenic Bt cotton in soil were studied by the ELISA method, using Bt transgenic cotton cultivar GK 12 and transgenic Bt plus CpTI gene cultivar CCRI 41 as materials, and their parents (Simian 3, CCRI 23, respectively) as controls. The results showed that the degradation dynamics of Bt insecticidal protein in GK 12 was the same as that in CCRI 41 in leaves buried in soil. The degradation period was six months, and the Bt insecticidal protein degraded rapidly after being buried into soil for one to three months, and slowly from the fourth to the sixth month, and it could not be detected after seven months. The dynamics of Bt insecticidal protein of GK 12 and CCRI 41 in the roots in different growing stages were almost the same: the contents of insecticidal protein reached the peak in May(715.55 ng•g-1 and 531.23 ng•g-1, respectively), but decreased rapidly from June, fell to 45.63 ng•g-1 and 42.33 ng•g-1 in September, and decreased continually from October to next March, could not be detected after next April. The degradation dynamics of Bt insecticidal protein in GK 12 and CCRI 41 in soil were almost the same: the Bt insecticidal protein could not be detected before sowing, began to increase after the seedling stage, and reached the peak (324.06 ng•g-1 and 355.50 ng•g-1, respectively) in the flowering stage, then gradually decreased from the boll stage, dropped to 50.25 ng•g-1 and 65.76 ng•g-1, respectively, in the harvest period. Within six months after cotton harvest, the insecticidal protein decreased rapidly, but Bt insecticidal proteins could be detected until the following year in April.', 'en_US'),
(3950, 'Presence of CP4-EPSPS component in roundup ready soybean-derived food products.', 'With the widespread use of Roundup Ready soya (event 40-3-2) (RRS), the traceability of transgenic components, especially protein residues, in different soya-related foodstuffs has become an important issue. In this report, transgenic components in commercial soya (including RRS) protein concentrates were firstly detected by using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and western blot. The results illustrated the different degradation patterns of the cp4-epsps gene and corresponding protein in RRS-derived protein concentrates. Furthermore, western blot was applied to investigate the single factor of food processing and the matrix on the disintegration of CP4-EPSPS protein in RRS powder and soya-derived foodstuffs, and trace the degradation patterns during the food production chain. Our results suggested that the exogenous full length of CP4-EPSPS protein in RRS powder was distinctively sensitive to various heat treatments, including heat, microwave and autoclave (especially), and only one degradation fragment (23.4 kD) of CP4-EPSPS protein was apparently observed when autoclaving was applied. By tracing the protein degradation during RRS-related products, including tofu, tou-kan, and bean curd sheets, however, four degradation fragments (42.9, 38.2, 32.2 and 23.4 kD) were displayed, suggesting that both boiling and bittern adding procedures might have extensive effects on CP4-EPSPS protein degradation. Our results thus confirmed that the distinctive residues of the CP4-EPSPS component could be traced in RRS-related foodstuffs.', 'en_US'),
(3951, 'Developing GM super cassava for improved health and food security: future challenges in Africa.', 'Background:  There is an urgent need to solve the problem of micronutrient malnutrition that is prevalent among young children and women in Africa. Genetically modified (GM) biofortified cassava has great potential to solve part of this problem, but controversy surrounding GM technology and lack of awareness, limited facilities, biased news and other factors may hinder the adoption of GM cassava in the future.\r\nMethod:  Using semi-structured interviews in Ghana and Nigeria, this paper examines the perspectives of scientists, including the BioCassava Plus (BC+) team, on the potential adoption of GM cassava for improving health and food security in Africa. The article also examines issues around the regulatory system and transfer and acceptance of GM cassava among scientists.\r\nResults and discussion:  The result suggests that an overwhelming majority of scientists agree that GM biofortified cassava will benefit the health of millions in Africa, and that GM cassava conferred with disease and pest resistance will increase cassava production as it is currently plagued by cassava mosaic diseases (CMD). However, respondents are wary of long-term effects of GM cassava on the environment and lack of a regulatory framework to facilitate the adoption of GM cassava. Even though scientists expressed little or no concern about health risks of GM cassava, they were concerned that consumers may express such concerns given limited understanding of GM technology.\r\nConclusion:  The article concludes with a summary of priorities for policy development with regard to adopting biofortified food products.', 'en_US'),
(3952, 'Yield, development, and quality response of dual-toxin Bt cotton to Helicoverpa spp. infestations in Australia.', 'To verify current thresholds for Bollgard II® cotton in Australia, the impact of Helicoverpa spp. (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) larvae on yield, development, and quality under various infestation intensities and durations, and stages of growth, was tested using small plot field experiments over two seasons. Infestation with up to 80 eggs m&amp;#8722;1 of Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) and Helicoverpa punctigera Wallengren showed that species, infestation level, and stage of growth had no significant effect on yields of seed-cotton or lint and on maturity and fibre quality. The duration of infestation of white flowers with H. punctigera neonates (maximum of every day for up to 4 weeks) had no impact on the yield of seed-cotton or lint, maturity, and fibre quality, but when 100% of flowers were infested (compared with 0 or 50%), seed-cotton and lint yields were significantly reduced and maturity was delayed. Infestation with up to 18 medium H. armigera larvae m&amp;#8722;1 at several plant stages did not significantly affect yields of seed-cotton and lint, maturity, and fibre quality. A heliocide spray applied on a commercial farm at the current threshold resulted in a significantly higher lint yield, compared with a farm where no spray was applied. In conclusion, Bollgard II® cotton is highly resistant to Helicoverpa spp. infestation.', 'en_US'),
(3953, 'Actions, progress and prospects in implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity during the past 20 years in China.', 'The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) was adopted by United Nations Conference of Environment and Development (UNCED) in June 1992 as a milestone event. During the past 20 years, China established the national coordination mechanisms for CBD implementation in 1993, conducted a country study for biodiversity conservation during 1995–1997, formulated China National Biodiversity Conservation Strategy and Action Plan during 2007–2010, founded the National Committee for Biodiversity Conservation in 2011, and, aiming to CBD’s objectives, implemented a lot of researches and actions for biodiversity conservation, including: protection of ecosystems such as forests, grasslands, deserts, wetlands and marine areas; investigations, inventory and databases for species; increased protection of rare and endangered species; control of alien invasive species; and risk assessment for genetically-modified organisms. Challenges to biodiversity conservation include, establishment of biodiversity monitoring system, in situ conservation, access and benefit sharing of genetic resources, and protection and application of traditional knowledge. Lastly, we report potential research topics for biodiversity conservation.', 'en_US'),
(3954, 'Using relational decision trees to model out-crossing rates in a multi-field setting.', 'Nearly three-quarters of the genetically modified maize (the insect resistant type MON 810, also called Bt maize) produced in the EU are cultivated in Spain, where the share of Bt maize cultivation in some regions (Catalonia) is very high (above 70%). In order to ensure coexistence with the production of conventional maize and satisfy the 0.9% EU threshold for adventitious presence of authorized genetically modified (GM) material in conventional (non-GM) maize crops, a set of preventive coexistence measures must be applied. These measures usually include the setup of large and fixed isolation distances, pollen barriers, flowering coincidence, crop rotation and other measures, which are very hard to fulfill in a multi-field setting. Basic empirical and modeling studies that explore the feasibility of coexistence between GM and non-GM crops focus on pair-based interactions between fields while multi-field studies build upon them, attempting to consider the complexity of gene flow under crop management practices.\r\nIn this study, we use the methodology of relational data mining (which can take into account several coexistence measures at the same time) to predict gene flow from GM to non-GM maize fields under multi-field crop management practices at a local scale. The approach extends the pair-based assessments of out-crossing rate by considering all neighboring fields within the entire study area, along with the farming practices applied to them. The estimation of the out-crossing rates is performed by using a PostgreSQL relational database that is analyzed with the algorithm TILDE for building relational classification trees. In building the trees, TILDE explores the relations describing spatial aspects, maize flowering and crop management practices for the 400 ha maize oriented production area Pla de Foixà in Catalonia, Spain, in the period 2004–2006.\r\nOur approach proposes a new methodology to predict the level of adventitious presence on a multi-field setting, where the influence of more than one GM field is considered at the same time. The structure of the obtained models can be used in the design of coexistence measures of the second generation, which should not be used individually but treated as synergetic coexistence measures, offering different alternatives to achieve a particular coexistence threshold (e.g., 0.9%, 0.45%, or 0.1%). The possibility to consider multiple measures simultaneously makes farmers more flexible in their management decisions as compared to the rigid use of isolation distance only, which is currently the most commonly recommended coexistence measure.', 'en_US'),
(3955, 'Environmental risk assessment for the small tortoiseshell Aglais urticae and a stacked Bt-maize with combined resistances against Lepidoptera and Chrysomelidae in central European agrarian landscapes.', 'The cultivation of Lepidoptera-resistant Bt-maize may affect nontarget butterflies. We assessed the risk posed by event MON89034 × MON88017 (expressing Cry1A.105 and Cry2Ab2 against corn borers) to nontarget Lepidoptera. Using the small tortoiseshell Aglais urticae, a butterfly species common in central Europe, as a test organism we (i) assessed the toxicity of Bt-maize pollen on butterfly larvae; (ii) measured pollen deposition on leaves of the host plant Urtica dioica; (iii) mapped the occurrence and distribution of host plants and larvae in two arable landscapes in Germany during maize anthesis; and (iv) described the temporal occurrence of a 1-year population of A. urticae. (i) Larvae-fed 200 Bt-maize pollen grains/cm2 had a reduced feeding activity. Significant differences in developmental time existed at pollen densities of 300 Bt-maize pollen grains/cm2 and in survival at 400 grains/cm2. (ii) The highest pollen amount found was 212 grains/cm2 at the field margin. Mean densities were much lower. (iii) In one region, over 50% of A. urticae nests were located within 5 m of a maize field, while in the other, all nests were found in more than 25 m distance to a maize field. (iv) The percentage of larvae developing during maize anthesis was 19% in the study area. The amount of pollen from maize MON89034 × MON88017 found on host plants is unlikely to adversely affect a significant proportion of larvae of A. urticae. This paper concludes that the risk of event MON89034 × MON88017 to populations of this species is negligible.', 'en_US'),
(3956, 'Contribution of groundkeepers vs. weed beet to gene escape from sugar beet (Beta vulgaris spp.). ', 'Weed beet cannot be controlled by herbicides in sugar beet (except via height-selective applicators) as it is a crop relative, descending from accidentally flowering sugar beet (Beta vulgaris) crop plants either because of vernalization during cold springs, or presence of a dominant bolting allele in sugar beet seed lots due to cross-pollination by annual wild beet (B. vulgaris ssp. maritima) in seed production areas. A second, minor source of weed beet are crop roots lost during harvest. These roots (“groundkeepers”) can reproduce in the year after sugar beet and potentially contribute to weed beet dynamics and gene flow. Bolting, flowering and seed production timing and potential of groundkeepers were measured in field experiments. Bolting and flowering were faster in groundkeepers vs. weed beet; flower and seed production was lower in groundkeepers but the latter were less sensitive to competitive crops. The measured parameters were used to introduce a ground-keeper life-cycle into the GeneSys-Beet model which quantifies the effects of cropping systems on weed beet in landscapes. Simulations over several years showed weed beet dynamics to be more sensitive to groundkeeper parameter values than to root loss at sugar beet harvest. Groundkeepers were identified as a key source of weed beet populations and of gene escape from novel sugar beet varieties (e.g. genetically-modified herbicide-tolerant varieties) in the absence of crop bolters. The control of the latter, either by manual weeding or by genetic improvement of sugar beet varieties, was shown to be essential for controlling weed beet populations and avoid the advent of herbicide-tolerant weed beet.', 'en_US'),
(3957, 'Selling Guatemala\\''s next Green Revolution: agricultural modernization and the politics of GM maize regulation.', 'Although genetically modified (GM) agriculture is posited as key for increasing food production, controversy has limited the global adoption of the technology. There has been little work, however, analysing the negotiation of biotechnology regulations in developing countries where disputes are related to different histories of agricultural change from the US and Europe. Guatemala is a key case to examine the relationship of biotechnology debates to the historical trajectory of Green Revolution technologies. While Mayan farmers increased maize yields by mixing local seeds with modern fertilizers, the Green Revolution exacerbated structural inequities underlying Guatemala\\\\\\\\\\\\\\''s agrarian system and heightened political tensions during the country\\\\\\\\\\\\\\''s civil war. This paper contends that biotechnology regulatory politics are integrally tied to concerns over heightening existing tensions between small-scale and industrialized farming systems as well as to more recent issues of seed patenting. The first section links contemporary agrarian issues in Guatemala to agricultural modernization during the 1960s and 1970s. I then focus on international biotechnology disputes before turning to Guatemalan debates over GM maize. With continued struggles over biotechnology knowledge, I further suggest ways to envision an agricultural revolution more closely aligned with the goals of sustainability and the needs of small-scale farmers.', 'en_US'),
(3958, 'The benefits of herbicide-resistant crops.', 'Since 1996, genetically modified herbicide-resistant crops, primarily glyphosate-resistant soybean, corn, cotton and canola, have helped to revolutionize weed management and have become an important tool in crop production practices. Glyphosate-resistant crops have enabled the implementation of weed management practices that have improved yield and profitability while better protecting the environment. Growers have recognized their benefits and have made glyphosate-resistant crops the most rapidly adopted technology in the history of agriculture. Weed management systems with glyphosate-resistant crops have often relied on glyphosate alone, have been easy to use and have been effective, economical and more environmentally friendly than the systems they have replaced. Glyphosate has worked extremely well in controlling weeds in glyphosate-resistant crops for more than a decade, but some key weeds have evolved resistance, and using glyphosate alone has proved unsustainable. Now, growers need to renew their weed management practices and use glyphosate with other cultural, mechanical and herbicide options in integrated systems. New multiple-herbicide-resistant crops with resistance to glyphosate and other herbicides will expand the utility of existing herbicide technologies and will be an important component of future weed management systems that help to sustain the current benefits of high-efficiency and high-production agriculture.', 'en_US'),
(3959, 'Limited divergence among populations of rice striped stem borer in southeast China caused by gene flow: implications for resistance management.', 'Rice striped stem borer (RSSB, Chilo suppressalis) is a serious lepidopteron pest occurring in rice ecosystems of Asia and Europe. Genetically modified (GM) insect-resistant Bt rice has been developed to deter lepidopteron pests including RSSB. The concern of resistance evolution to the Bt toxin by the pests under commercial cultivation of GM Bt rice and the need of effective management of the resistance encourage the studies of genetic variation and divergence, as well as gene flow of RSSB populations. We analyzed 13 RSSB populations fed on water-oats or rice plants, respectively, from southeast China applying the fluorescent amplified fragment length polymorphism fingerprints. A generally moderate level of genetic variation was detected in the populations, as estimated by Nei''s genetic diversity (0.27) and Shannon''s index (0.42). The FST and amova values indicated a low level (&amp;#8764;12%) of genetic divergence among the RSSB populations. A relatively frequent gene flow (an average Nm = 2.62) was detected among the 12 RSSB populations, which may explain the limited genetic divergence among the rice-feeding populations. This explanation gains support by the assignment test of the corresponding populations, suggesting that a considerable proportion of individuals was contributed from non-native populations. Our results revealed that the moderate level of genetic diversity combined with relatively frequent gene flow among RSSB populations across a large geographical range may slow down the resistance evolution of the RSSB populations, given that a proper measure of resistance management is taken.', 'en_US'),
(3960, 'Hybridization between crops and wild relatives: the contribution of cultivated lettuce to the vigour of crop-wild hybrids under drought, salinity and nutrient deficiency conditions.', 'With the development of transgenic crop varieties, crop–wild hybridization has received considerable consideration with regard to the potential of transgenes to be transferred to wild species. Although many studies have shown that crops can hybridize with their wild relatives and that the resulting hybrids may show improved fitness over the wild parents, little is still known on the genetic contribution of the crop parent to the performance of the hybrids. In this study, we investigated the vigour of lettuce hybrids using 98 F2:3 families from a cross between cultivated lettuce and its wild relative Lactuca serriola under non-stress conditions and under drought, salinity and nutrient deficiency. Using single nucleotide polymorphism markers, we mapped quantitative trait loci associated with plant vigour in the F2:3 families and determined the allelic contribution of the two parents. Seventeen QTLs (quantitative trait loci) associated with vigour and six QTLs associated with the accumulation of ions (Na+, Cl&amp;#8722; and K+) were mapped on the nine linkage groups of lettuce. Seven of the vigour QTLs had a positive effect from the crop allele and six had a positive effect from the wild allele across treatments, and four QTLs had a positive effect from the crop allele in one treatment and from the wild allele in another treatment. Based on the allelic effect of the QTLs and their location on the genetic map, we could suggest genomic locations where transgene integration should be avoided when aiming at the mitigation of its persistence once crop–wild hybridization takes place.', 'en_US'),
(3961, 'Field response of aboveground non-target arthropod community to transgenic Bt-Cry1AB rice plant residues in postharvest seasons.', 'Risk assessments of ecological effects of transgenic rice expressing lepidoptera-Cry proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) on non-target arthropods have primarily focused on rice plants during cropping season, whereas few studies have investigated the effects in postharvest periods. Harvested rice fallow fields provide a critical over-wintering habitat for arthropods in the Chinese rice ecosystems, particularly in the southern region of the country. During 2006–08, two independent field trials were conducted in Chongqing, China to investigate the effects of transgenic Cry1Ab rice residues on non-target arthropod communities. In each trial, pitfall traps were used to sample arthropods in field plots planted with one non-Bt variety and two Bt rice lines expressing the Cry1Ab protein. Aboveground arthropods in the trial plots during the postharvest season were abundant, while community densities varied significantly between the two trials. A total of 52,386 individual insects and spiders, representing 93 families, was captured in the two trials. Predominant arthropods sampled were detritivores, which accounted for 91.9% of the total captures. Other arthropods sampled included predators (4.2%), herbivores (3.2%), and parasitoids (0.7%). In general, there were no significant differences among non-Bt and Bt rice plots in all arthropod community-specific parameters for both trials, suggesting no adverse impact of the Bt rice plant residues on the aboveground non-target arthropod communities during the postharvest season. The results of this study provide additional evidence that Bt rice is safe to non-target arthropod communities in the Chinese rice ecosystems.', 'en_US'),
(3962, 'A 90-day subchronic feeding study of genetically modified maize expressing Cry1Ac-M protein in Sprague-Dawley rats.', 'The cry1Ac-M gene, coding one of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) crystal proteins, was introduced into maize H99 × Hi IIB genome to produce insect-resistant GM maize BT-38. The food safety assessment of the BT-38 maize was conducted in Sprague–Dawley rats by a 90-days feeding study. We incorporated maize grains from BT-38 and H99 × Hi IIB into rodent diets at three concentrations (12.5%, 25%, 50%) and administered to Sprague–Dawley rats (n = 10/sex/group) for 90 days. A commercialized rodent diet was fed to an additional group as control group. Body weight, feed consumption and toxicological response variables were measured, and gross as well as microscopic pathology were examined. Moreover, detection of residual Cry1Ac-M protein in the serum of rats fed with GM maize was conducted. No death or adverse effects were observed in the current feeding study. No adverse differences in the values of the response variables were observed between rats that consumed diets containing GM maize BT-38 and non-GM maize H99 × Hi IIB. No detectable Cry1Ac-M protein was found in the serum of rats after feeding diets containing GM maize for 3 months. The results demonstrated that BT-38 maize is as safe as conventional non-GM maize.', 'en_US'),
(3963, 'Subchronic feeding study of stacked trait genetically-modified soybean (3O5423 x 40-3-2) in Sprague-Dawley rats. ', 'The genetically-modified (GM) soybean 3Ø5423 × 40-3-2 expresses siRNA for the fatty acid desaturase-2 enzyme which results in higher concentrations of oleic acid (18:1) relative to linoleic acid (18:2) compared with non-GM soybeans. It also expresses the CP4 EPSPS protein for tolerance to glyphosate. In this study, three different dietary concentrations (7.5%, 15% and 30% wt/wt) of 3Ø5423 × 40-3-2 or non-GM soybeans were fed to Sprague–Dawley rats for 90 days during which in-life nutritional and growth performance variables were evaluated followed by analysis of standard clinical chemistry, hematology and organ variables. Compared with rats fed the non-GM control diet, some statistically significant differences were observed in rats fed the 3Ø5423 × 40-3-2 diet. However the differences were not considered treatment-related and commonly fell within the normal ranges of the control group consuming the commercial diet. These results demonstrated that the GM soybean 3Ø5423 × 40-3-2 is as safe as non-GM soybeans.', 'en_US'),
(3964, 'Court approves field testing of genetically engineered eucalyptus.', '', 'en_US'),
(3965, 'The Bt Brinjal case: the first legal action against Monsanto and its Indian collaborators for biopiracy.', '‘‘Biopiracy’’ generally refers to illegal appropriation of biological diversity and the traditional knowledge of local communities from developing countries by multinational corporations and research institutions. This definition mainly takes two shapes: (1) access and use of biological material or traditional knowledge without the authorization of the country of origin and indigenous communities that hold and develop these resources; and/or (2) lack of benefit sharing, or unjust and unfair sharing of benefits, with the countries and communities who provided resources. These forms of biopiracy are expressly prohibited by Articles 15 and 8(j) of the Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD) 1992 and, more recently, the Nagoya Protocol on access and benefit sharing adopted by the Conference of the Parties to the CBD at its tenth meeting on 29 October 2010. At the national level, many developing countries have adopted national legislation regulating access to their genetic resources and requiring benefit sharing in accordance with the principles of the CBD such as, for example, the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 in India. India, a country of vast biodiversity areas, is one of the ten megadiverse countries of the world, accounting for 7.8% of the global recorded species.\r\nIn the last decades, famous biopiracy cases concerned disputed American or European patents granted for Indian plants and traditional knowledge:Curcuma, Neem, andBasmati Rice. Unlike these examples, in the current Bt brinjal case, foreign and Indian corporations and universities have been for the first time accused of biopiracy for violating the Biological Diversity Act in India. After explaining framework in the Bt brinjal case, this paper analyzes the legal allegations related to the violations of the Biological Diversity Act by Monsanto and its Indian collaborators and the impact of a potential judicial condemnation of Bt Brinjal developers.', 'en_US'),
(3966, 'Dengue mosquitoes: could NEPA and its Malaysian counterpart take a bite out of releases of genetically modified insects?', '', 'en_US'),
(3967, 'Harmonia axyridis (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) exhibits no preference between Bt and non-Bt maize fed Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae).', 'A recent shift in managing insect resistance to genetically engineered (GE) maize consists of mixing non-GE seed with GE seed known as “refuge in a bag”, which increases the likelihood of predators encountering both prey fed Bt and prey fed non-Bt maize. We therefore conducted laboratory choice-test feeding studies to determine if a predator, Harmonia axyridis, shows any preference between prey fed Bt and non-Bt maize leaves. The prey species was Spodoptera frugiperda, which were fed Bt maize (MON-810), expressing the single Cry1Ab protein, or non-Bt maize. The predators were third instar larvae and female adults of H. axyridis. Individual predators were offered Bt and non-Bt fed prey larvae that had fed for 24, 48 or 72 h. Ten and 15 larvae of each prey type were offered to third instar and adult predators, respectively. Observations of arenas were conducted at 1, 2, 3, 6, 15 and 24 h after the start of the experiment to determine the number and type of prey eaten by each individual predator. Prey larvae that fed on non-Bt leaves were significantly larger than larvae fed Bt leaves. Both predator stages had eaten nearly all the prey by the end of the experiment. However, in all combinations of predator stage and prey age, the number of each prey type consumed did not differ significantly. ELISA measurements confirmed the presence of Cry1Ab in leaf tissue (23–33 µg/g dry weight) and S. frugiperda (2.1–2.2 µg/g), while mean concentrations in H. axyridis were very low (0.01–0.2 µg/g). These results confirm the predatory status of H. axyridis on S. frugiperda and that both H. axyridis adults and larvae show no preference between prey types. The lack of preference between Bt-fed and non-Bt-fed prey should act in favor of insect resistance management strategies using mixtures of GE and non-GE maize seed.', 'en_US'),
(3968, 'Testing potential effects of maize expressing the Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Ab endotoxin (Bt maize) on mycorrhizal fungal communities via DNA- and RNA-based pyrosequencing and molecular fingerprinting.', 'The cultivation of genetically modified (GM) crops has increased significantly over the last decades. However, concerns have been raised that some GM traits may negatively affect beneficial soil biota, such as arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), potentially leading to alterations in soil functioning. Here, we test two maize varieties expressing the Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Ab endotoxin (Bt maize) for their effects on soil AM fungal communities. We target both fungal DNA and RNA, which is new for AM fungi, and we use two strategies as an inclusive and robust way of detecting community differences: (i) 454 pyrosequencing using general fungal rRNA gene-directed primers and (ii) terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) profiling using AM fungus-specific markers. Potential GM-induced effects were compared to the normal natural variation of AM fungal communities across 15 different agricultural fields. AM fungi were found to be abundant in the experiment, accounting for 8% and 21% of total recovered DNA- and RNA-derived fungal sequences, respectively, after 104 days of plant growth. RNA- and DNA-based sequence analyses yielded most of the same AM fungal lineages. Our research yielded three major conclusions. First, no consistent differences were detected between AM fungal communities associated with GM plants and non-GM plants. Second, temporal variation in AMF community composition (between two measured time points) was bigger than GM trait-induced variation. Third, natural variation of AMF communities across 15 agricultural fields in The Netherlands, as well as within-field temporal variation, was much higher than GM-induced variation. In conclusion, we found no indication that Bt maize cultivation poses a risk for AMF.', 'en_US'),
(3969, 'Genetic methods for mitigating invasiveness of woody ornamental plants: research needs and opportunities.', 'Because cultivation of exotic woody ornamental plants has led to establishment of a number of invasive species, there is considerable interest in breeding methods to reduce the propensity for spread. We review progress in conventional breeding and transgenic biotechnology approaches to producing sterile forms of ornamental woody plants. Conventional forms of inducing sterility, including induction of polyploidy, interspecific hybridization, and mutagenesis, are generally inexpensive and can be applied to a diversity of species at low to moderate cost. They have also been shown to be capable of producing commercially successful cultivars. In contrast, despite a variety of highly promising and rapidly developing approaches using transgenic methods, the inability to efficiently regenerate and genetically transform most ornamental species makes application of these innovations highly problematic. Moreover, because of the fragmented pattern of ornamental nursery ownership, the numerous species and varieties used, and the high regulatory cost for permits to sell most types of transgenic varieties (even when their environmental risk of spread has been reduced by sterility), application of transgenic methods is largely infeasible. A combination of fundamental regulatory reform and expanded biological research on generalized transformation and sterility methods is needed to overcome these barriers.', 'en_US'),
(3970, 'How to manage the coexistence between genetically modified and conventional crops in grain and oilseed collection areas? Elaboration of scenarios using role playing games.', 'In the European Union, the separation of genetically modified (GM) and non-GM food supply chains, from fields to country elevators, is a major constraint on the coexistence of these two sectors, providing “freedom of choice” for both farmers and consumers. Both technical aspects, focusing on risks of admixture due to gene flow and the organisational challenges faced by stakeholders must be taken into account. We combined role-playing games with the use of gene flow simulators operating at the landscape level to determine how farmers, elevator companies and technical advisers could manage coexistence for oilseed rape crops in Beauce (France) and maize in Alsace (France). The games highlighted the importance of access to information, co-ordination and learning processes. The results were summarised as five contrasting scenarios, defined in terms of the stakeholders’ management ability and the structural risks of admixture between GM and non-GM material. These results raise questions about the links between the rigidity of regulation and the diversity of the strategies used by stakeholders to manage grain and oilseed quality.', 'en_US'),
(3971, 'Assessment of possible allergenicity of hypothetical ORFs in common food crops using current bioinformatic guidelines and its implications for the safety assessment of GM crops.', 'Before a genetically modified (GM) crop can be commercialized it must pass through a rigorous regulatory process to verify that it is safe for human and animal consumption, and to the environment. One particular area of focus is the potential introduction of a known or cross-reactive allergen not previously present within the crop. The assessment of possible allergenicity uses the guidelines outlined by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and World Health Organization’s (WHO) Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex) to evaluate all newly expressed proteins. Some regulatory authorities have broadened the scope of the assessment to include all DNA reading frames between stop codons across the insert and spanning the insert/genomic DNA junctions. To investigate the utility of this bioinformatic assessment, all naturally occurring stop-to-stop frames in the non-transgenic genomes of maize, rice, and soybean, as well as the human genome, were compared against the AllergenOnline (www.allergenonline.org) database using the Codex criteria. We discovered thousands of frames that exceeded the Codex defined threshold for potential cross-reactivity suggesting that evaluating hypothetical ORFs (stop-to-stop frames) has questionable value for making decisions on the safety of GM crops.', 'en_US'),
(3972, 'Bacillus thuringiensis Cry and Cyt mutants useful to counter toxin action in specific environments and to overcome insect resistance in the field. ', 'Cry and Cyt toxins produced by Bacillus thuringiensis are insecticidal proteins used worldwide to control different insect pests, either as spray products or expressed in transgenic Bt-crops. Extensive studies have shown that they are safe to the environment and non-toxic to other organisms. However, still there are concerns regarding to the potential impact of Bt-crops on non-target organisms. One possibility to counteract the action of Cry or Cyt toxins is the use of dominant negative mutants also called anti-toxin that could inhibit the toxicity of their corresponding native toxin. Additionally, the evolution of insect resistance threatens the effectiveness of Bt-crops, since several examples of insects resistant to Bt-crops have been recently documented. The study of the mode of action of Cry and Cyt toxins has shown that oligomerization is an important step to form pores in the target midgut cells to eventually kill the larvae. This knowledge allowed us to develop strategies to produce toxin mutants that act as anti-toxins to counter Cry or Cyt toxins action in specific environments and to construct CryMod toxins that are able to kill insects that developed resistance to native Cry toxins.\r\nWe will review the constructions of Cry and Cyt anti-toxins. The non-toxic helix &amp;#945;-4 mutants of Cry1Ab are able to oligomerize and to interact with native toxin forming inactive hetero-oligomers, inhibiting toxicity of native Cry1Ab. On the other hand, the N-terminal domain of Cyt1Aa induces oligomerization of native toxin, and inhibits its toxicity against mosquitoes as well as its hemolytic activity.\r\nRegarding insect resistance, we will review the construction of Cry1AMod toxins lacking helix &amp;#945;-1 that are able to form oligomers in absence of binding to cadherin receptor. CryMod toxins kill resistant insects to native Bt toxins affected in cadherin. We will review and discuss recent data that indicated that CryMod toxins overcome other mechanisms of resistance.\r\nOverall the mutants reviewed here support that oligomerization is an important step in the mechanism of action of Cry and Cyt toxins.', 'en_US'),
(3973, 'GM crops in India with reference to Bt cotton: opportunities and challenges. ', 'A study was conducted in Gujarat, India to measure the economic impact of Bt cotton as compared to Non Bt cotton in order to identify the problems faced by the farmers cultivating Bt cotton. The study also proposed to identify the problems and concerns related to growing of GM crops and its prospects not only in Gujarat but the nation as a whole. Since health concerns in case of genetically modified crops remains a major issue therefore survey was conducted to study the impact on environment, health and the soil. A sample size of 200 farmers cultivating Bt cotton and 200 of farmers cultivating conventional cotton was taken. Around 100 dealers of Agro Products were also taken as samples. The results revealed that Bt cotton gives higher yield than conventional varieties of cotton. Bt cotton has led to improvement of economic condition of farmers and a higher standard of living. But it cannot be denied that Bt cotton does have an adverse effect on health, environment and soil as some farmers do suffer from allergy while working on Bt cotton fields and it also leads to reduced fertility of soil. Another negative aspect of Bt cotton is that farmers have to incur high costs on irrigation, fertilizers and pesticides. However most of the farmers are satisfied with Bt cotton and are ready to accept other GM crops.', 'en_US');
INSERT INTO `bibliography_bibliography_i18n` (`id`, `title`, `abstract`, `locale`) VALUES
(3974, 'A framework for a European network for a systematic environmental impact assessment of genetically modified organisms (GMO).', 'The assessment of the impacts of growing genetically modified (GM) crops remains a major political and scientific challenge in Europe. Concerns have been raised by the evidence of adverse and unexpected environmental effects and differing opinions on the outcomes of environmental risk assessments (ERA). The current regulatory system is hampered by insufficiently developed methods for GM crop safety testing and introduction studies. Improvement to the regulatory system needs to address the lack of well designed GM crop monitoring frameworks, professional and financial conflicts of interest within the ERA research and testing community, weaknesses in consideration of stakeholder interests and specific regional conditions, and the lack of comprehensive assessments that address the environmental and socio-economic risk assessment interface. To address these challenges, we propose a European Network for systematic GMO impact assessment (ENSyGMO) with the aim directly to enhance ERA and post-market environmental monitoring (PMEM) of GM crops, to harmonize and ultimately secure the long-term socio-political impact of the ERA process and the PMEM in the EU. These goals would be achieved with a multi-dimensional and multi-sector approach to GM crop impact assessment, targeting the variability and complexity of the EU agro-environment and the relationship with relevant socio-economic factors. Specifically, we propose to develop and apply methodologies for both indicator and field site selection for GM crop ERA and PMEM, embedded in an EU-wide typology of agro-environments. These methodologies should be applied in a pan-European field testing network using GM crops. The design of the field experiments and the sampling methodology at these field sites should follow specific hypotheses on GM crop effects and use state-of-the art sampling, statistics and modelling approaches. To address public concerns and create confidence in the ENSyGMO results, actors with relevant specialist knowledge from various sectors should be involved.', 'en_US'),
(3975, 'Effectiveness of the high dose/refuge strategy for managing pest resistance to Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) plants expressing one or two toxins.', 'To delay resistance development to Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) plants expressing their own insecticide, the application of the Insect Resistance Management strategy called “High Dose/Refuge Strategy” (HD/R) is recommended by the US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA). This strategy was developed for Bt plants expressing one toxin. Presently, however, new Bt plants that simultaneously express two toxins are on the market. We used a mathematical model to evaluate the efficiency of the HD/R strategy for both these Bt toxins. As the current two-toxin Bt plants do not express two new Cry toxins but reuse one toxin already in use with a one-toxin plant, we estimated the spread of resistance when the resistance alleles are not rare. This study assesses: (i) whether the two toxins have to be present in high concentration, and (ii) the impact of the relative size of the refuge zone on the evolution of resistance and population density. We concluded that for Bt plants expressing one toxin, a high concentration is an essential condition for resistance management. For the pyramided Bt plants, one toxin could be expressed at a low titer if the two toxins are used for the first time, and a small refuge zone is acceptable.', 'en_US'),
(3976, 'Low susceptibility of non-target Lepidopteran maize pests to the Bt protein Cry1Ab.', 'Transgenic Bt maize expressing the Cry1Ab toxin is poorly effective for suppressing populations of two non-target Lepidoptera, Mythimna unipuncta and Helicoverpa armigera. In order to determine the mechanisms that may be involved in this poor effectiveness, last instar larvae of the two Lepidoptera were fed with a diet containing lyophilized leaves with Bt vs non-Bt toxin for different periods; additionally, some larvae fed on Bt diet were transferred to non-Bt diet for an additional period. In the experimental larvae, we measured the growth (weight) gain from just before treatment to after the end of the treatment, and the Cry1Ab contents in the hemolymph, the peritrophic membrane and its contents and midgut epithelium. Effects of the treatments on the midgut epithelium were observed by light and transmission electron microscopy. It was seen that multiple mechanisms can be involved in the low susceptibility of the two Lepidoptera. The low content of the toxin within the peritrophic membrane 48h after ingestion indicates a high rate of toxin elimination in this space. Moreover, M. unipuncta larvae fed on the Bt diet displayed a similar growth gain index to those fed on the non-Bt diet, and showed an increasing elimination rate during the experiment. Little toxin reached the midgut epithelium, indicating a low permeability of the peritrophic membrane or a low affinity at the binding sites. Larvae fed on the Bt toxin showed rapid recovery in weight gain and in the midgut epithelium, and also showed overcompensation mechanisms', 'en_US'),
(3977, 'The effect of low temperature on the insecticidal properties of Bt cotton.', 'Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) transgenic cotton shows unstable resistance to bollworm in China as in other major Bt cotton growing regions of the world.  The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of low temperature stress during critical developmental stages on the leaf CryIA insecticidal protein content and nitrogen metabolism. The study was undertaken on two transgenic cotton cultivars, one conventional (Sikang1) and another hybrid (Sikang 3), during the 2007 and 2008 growing seasons at Jiangsu Provincial KeyLaboratory of Crops Genetics and Physiology, Yangzhou,  China. In the 2007 study, potted cotton plants were exposed to 18°C for 24 hours under glasshouse conditions at three growth stages-peak square, flowering and peak boll developing periods. In 2008 the same two cultivars were exposed to 18°C for 48 hours again at same three growth stages. The results of the study indicated that the leaf insecticidal protein content was significantly affected by the cold treatment at all the three developmental  stages. However, the greatest reduction was observed when the treatment was applied at peak boll period. The CryIA protein content decreased by approximately 23.7% for the cultivar Sikang 1 and 28.1% for Sikang 3 after 24 hours stress in the 2007 study and by approximately 52.9% and 47.6% for 48 hours with the same cultivars, respectively, in the 2008 study. Leaf nitrogen metabolism, measured by the GPT activity, total free amino acid, soluble protein content and the activity of protease, was also significantly reduced by the cold treatments. The changes of nitrogen metabolism closely corresponded to the change of CryIA protein content, suggesting that low temperature may result in the reduction of soluble protein in the leaf, with a resulting decline in the level of the toxin CryIA. It is believed that this may be the cause of the reduced efficacy of Bt cotton in growing conditions in China, where temperatures during the cotton growing season often decrease to 15-20°C.', 'en_US'),
(3978, 'Impact evaluation of insecticide resistance management strategies in cotton under Technology Mini-Mission on Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum).', 'A location specific Insecticide Resistance Management (IRM) strategies module developed for pest management in Bt and Non Bt cotton was implemented and evaluated in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) growing villages of Haryana .Large scale field evaluation of the technology indicated the reduction in number of insecticidal sprays (30.65%, 24.29% in 2007–08 and 2008–09, respectively) and shift in pesticide use pattern in adopted villages. Though the populations of sucking pests were not significantly different in IRM and Non IRM fields but total consumption of insecticides was 26.79% and 31.24% higher during 2007–08 and 2008–09, respectively in Non-IRM over IRM villages. Moreover, IRM adopted villages of Sirsa, Fatehabad and Hisar harboured higher number of natural enemies as compared to non IRM villages. The yield was found significantly higher in fields where IRM strategies were adopted (21.60 and 23.79 q/ha) over field that adopted farmers practices (i e non IRM) (20.74 and 21.61 q/ha) during 2007–08 and 2008–09.', 'en_US'),
(3979, 'Mice fed on a diet enriched with genetically engineered multivitamin corn show no sub-acute toxic effects and no sub-chronic toxicity.', 'Multivitamin corn is a novel genetically engineered variety that simultaneously produces high levels of &amp;#946;-carotene, ascorbate and folate, and therefore has the potential to address simultaneously multiple micronutrient deficiencies caused by the lack of vitamins A, B9 and C in developing country populations. As part of the development process for genetically engineered crops and following European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) recommendations, multivitamin corn must be tested in whole food/feed sub-chronic animal feeding studies to ensure there are no adverse effects, and potential allergens must be identified. We carried out a 28-day toxicity assessment in mice, which showed no short-term sub-acute evidence of diet-related adverse health effects and no difference in clinical markers (food consumption, body weight, organ/tissue weight, haematological and biochemical blood parameters and histopathology) compared to mice fed on a control diet. A subsequent 90-day sub-chronic feeding study again showed no indications of toxicity compared to mice fed on control diets. Our data confirm that diets enriched with multivitamin corn have no adverse effects on mice, do not induce any clinical signs of toxicity and do not contain known allergens.', 'en_US'),
(3980, 'Harmonized biosafety regulations are key to trust building in regional agbiotech partnerships: the case of the Bt cotton project in East Africa.', 'Background: The Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) cotton public-private partnership (PPP) project in East Africa was designed to gather baseline data on the effect of Bt cotton on biodiversity and the possibility of gene flow to wild cotton varieties. The results of the project are intended to be useful for Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania when applying for biosafety approvals. Using the backdrop of the different biosafety regulations in the three countries, we investigate the role of trust in the Bt cotton partnership in East Africa.\r\nMethods: Data were collected by reviewing relevant project documents and peer-reviewed articles on Bt cotton in Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda; conducting face-to-face interviews with key informants of the project; and conducting direct observations of the project. Data were analyzed based on recurring and emergent themes to create a comprehensive narrative on how trust is understood and built among the partners and with the community.\r\nResults: We identified three factors that posed challenges to building trust in the Bt cotton project in East Africa: different regulatory regimes among the three countries; structural and management differences among the three partner institutions; and poor public awareness of GM crops and negative perceptions of the private sector. The structural and management differences were said to be addressed through joint planning, harmonization of research protocols, and management practices, while poor public awareness of GM crops and negative perceptions of the private sector were said to be addressed through open communication, sharing of resources, direct stakeholder engagement and awareness creation. The regulatory differences remained outside the scope of the project.\r\nConclusions: To improve the effectiveness of agbiotech PPPs, there is first a need for a regulatory regime that is acceptable to both the public and private sector partners. Second, early and continuous joint planning; sharing of information; and transparency encourages accountability and fosters trust building. Third, direct stakeholder engagement and awareness creation builds trust between project partners and the community. A concern raised by the interviewees was the absence of a regulatory framework in Tanzania, which deterred active private sector participation in the project.', 'en_US'),
(3981, 'Overcoming barriers to trust in agricultural biotechnology projects: a case study of Bt cowpea in Nigeria.', 'Background: Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, has been the world’s largest cowpea importer since 2004. The country is currently in the early phases of confined field trials for two genetically modified crops: Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) cowpea and nutritionally enhanced cassava (“BioCassava Plus”). Using the bio-safety guidelines process as a backdrop, we evaluate the role of trust in the operation of the Cowpea Productivity Improvement Project, which is an international agricultural biotechnology public-private partnership (PPP) aimed at providing pest-resistant cowpea varieties to Nigerian farmers.\r\nMethods: We reviewed the published literature and collected data through direct observations and semi-structured, face-to-face interviews. Data were analyzed based on emergent themes to create a comprehensive narrative on how trust is understood and built among the partners and with the community.\r\nResults: Our findings highlight the importance of respecting mandates and eliminating conflicts of interest; holding community engagement initiatives early on; having on-going internal discussion and planning; and serving a locally-defined need. These four lessons could prove helpful to other agricultural biotechnology initiatives in which partners may face similar trust-related challenges.\r\nConclusions: Overcoming challenges to building trust requires concerted effort throughout all stages of project implementation. Currently, plans are being made to backcross the cowpea strain into a local variety in Nigeria. The development and adoption of the Bt cowpea seed hinges on the adoption of a National Biosafety Law in Nigeria. For countries that have decided to adopt biotech crops, the Nigerian cowpea experiment can be used as a model for other West African nations, and is actually applied as such in Ghana and Burkina Faso, interested in developing a Bt cowpea.', 'en_US'),
(3982, 'Long term toxicity of a Roundup herbicide and a Roundup-tolerant genetically modified maize.', 'The health effects of a Roundup-tolerant genetically modified maize (from 11% in the diet), cultivated with or without Roundup, and Roundup alone (from 0.1 ppb in water), were studied 2 years in rats. In females, all treated groups died 2–3 times more than controls, and more rapidly. This difference was visible in 3 male groups fed GMOs. All results were hormone and sex dependent, and the pathological profiles were comparable. Females developed large mammary tumors almost always more often than and before controls, the pituitary was the second most disabled organ; the sex hormonal balance was modified by GMO and Roundup treatments. In treated males, liver congestions and necrosis were 2.5–5.5 times higher. This pathology was confirmed by optic and transmission electron microscopy. Marked and severe kidney nephropathies were also generally 1.3–2.3 greater. Males presented 4 times more large palpable tumors than controls which occurred up to 600 days earlier. Biochemistry data confirmed very significant kidney chronic deficiencies; for all treatments and both sexes, 76% of the altered parameters were kidney related. These results can be explained by the non linear endocrine-disrupting effects of Roundup, but also by the overexpression of the transgene in the GMO and its metabolic consequences.', 'en_US'),
(3983, 'Genetically modified mosquito: the Malaysian public engagement experience.', 'Sterile male genetically modified Aedes aegypti mosquitoes were released in a field trial in Malaysia in December 2010. The objective of the deliberate release was to study the biological characteristics of the GM mosquito under field conditions. This paper describes the biosafety review process, regulatory protocols at national level and public engagement before the limited field trial. Our experience has shown that public engagement is an important component of field releases to provide information, receive feedback from the public and gain public trust through the transparency of the process.', 'en_US'),
(3984, 'Orgenic plants: gene-manipulated plants compatible with organic farming.', 'Based on recent advances in plant gene technology, I propose to develop a new category of GM plants, orgenic plants, that are compatible with organic farming. These orgenic plants do not contain herbicide resistance genes to avoid herbicide application in agriculture. Furthermore, they either contain genes that are naturally exchanged between species, or are sterile to avoid outcrossing if they received a transgene from a different species. These GM plants are likely to be acceptable to most sceptics of GM plants and facilitate the use of innovative new crops.', 'en_US'),
(3985, 'New genes in traditional seed systems: diffusion, detectability and persistence of transgenes in a maize metapopulation. ', 'Gene flow of transgenes into non-target populations is an important biosafety concern. The case of genetically modified (GM) maize in Mexico has been of particular interest because of the country’s status as center of origin and landrace diversity. In contrast to maize in the U.S. and Europe, Mexican landraces form part of an evolving metapopulation in which new genes are subject to evolutionary processes of drift, gene flow and selection. Although these processes are affected by seed management and particularly seed flow, there has been little study into the population genetics of transgenes under traditional seed management. Here, we combine recently compiled data on seed management practices with a spatially explicit population genetic model to evaluate the importance of seed flow as a determinant of the long-term fate of transgenes in traditional seed systems. Seed flow between farmers leads to a much wider diffusion of transgenes than expected by pollen movement alone, but a predominance of seed replacement over seed mixing lowers the probability of detection due to a relative lack of homogenization in spatial frequencies. We find that in spite of the spatial complexities of the modeled system, persistence probabilities under positive selection are estimated quite well by existing theory. Our results have important implications concerning the feasibility of long term transgene monitoring and control in traditional seed systems.', 'en_US'),
(3986, 'Field evolved resistance in Helicoverpa armigera (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) to Bacillus thuringiensis toxin Cry1Ac in Pakistan. ', 'Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) is one of the most destructive pests of several field and vegetable crops, with indiscriminate use of insecticides contributing to multiple instances of resistance. In the present study we assessed whether H. armigera had developed resistance to Bt cotton and compared the results with several conventional insecticides. Furthermore, the genetics of resistance was also investigated to determine the inheritance to Cry1Ac resistance. To investigate the development of resistance to Bt cotton, and selected foliar insecticides, H. armigera populations were sampled in 2010 and 2011 in several cotton production regions in Pakistan. The resistance ratios (RR) for Cry1Ac, chlorpyrifos, profenofos, cypermethrin, spinosad, indoxacarb, abamectin and deltamethrin were 580-fold, 320-, 1110-, 1950-, 200-, 380, 690, and 40-fold, respectively, compared with the laboratory susceptible (Lab-PK) population. Selection of the field collected population with Cry1Ac in 2010 for five generations increased RR to 5440-fold. The selection also increased RR for deltamethrin, chlorpyrifos, profenofos, cypermethrin, spinosad, indoxacarb, abamectin to 125-folds, 650-, 2840-, 9830-, 370-, 3090-, 1330-fold. The estimated LC50s for reciprocal crosses were 105 µg/ml (Cry1Ac-SEL female × Lab-PK male) and 81 g µg/ml (Lab-PK female × Cry1Ac-SEL male) suggesting that the resistance to Cry1Ac was autosomal; the degree of dominance (DLC) was 0.60 and 0.57 respectively. Mixing of enzyme inhibitors significantly decreased resistance to Cry1Ac suggesting that the resistance to Cry1Ac and other insecticides tested in the present study was primarily metabolic. Resistance to Cry1Ac was probably due to a single but unstable factor suggesting that crop rotation with non-Bt cotton or other crops could reduce the selection pressure for H. armigera and improve the sustainability of Bt cotton.', 'en_US'),
(3987, 'Effects of feeding Bt maize to sows during gestation and lactation on maternal and offspring immunity and fate of transgenic material.', 'Background: We aimed to determine the effect of feeding transgenic maize to sows during gestation and lactation on maternal and offspring immunity and to assess the fate of transgenic material.\r\nMethodology/Principal Findings: On the day of insemination, sows were assigned to one of two treatments (n = 12/treatment); 1) non-Bt control maize diet or 2) Bt-MON810 maize diet, which were fed for ~143 days throughout gestation and lactation. Immune function was assessed by leukocyte phenotyping, haematology and Cry1Ab-specific antibody presence in blood on days 0, 28 and 110 of gestation and at the end of lactation. Peripheral-blood mononuclear cell cytokine production was investigated on days 28 and 110 of gestation. Haematological analysis was performed on offspring at birth (n = 12/treatment). Presence of the cry1Ab transgene was assessed in sows'' blood and faeces on day 110 of gestation and in blood and tissues of offspring at birth. Cry1Ab protein presence was assessed in sows'' blood during gestation and lactation and in tissues of offspring at birth. Blood monocyte count and percentage were higher (P&lt;0.05), while granulocyte percentage was lower (P&lt;0.05) in Bt maize-fed sows on day 110 of gestation. Leukocyte count and granulocyte count and percentage were lower (P&lt;0.05), while lymphocyte percentage was higher (P&lt;0.05) in offspring of Bt maize-fed sows. Bt maize-fed sows had a lower percentage of monocytes on day 28 of lactation and of CD4+CD8+ lymphocytes on day 110 of gestation, day 28 of lactation and overall (P&lt;0.05). Cytokine production was similar between treatments. Transgenic material or Cry1Ab-specific antibodies were not detected in sows or offsring.\r\nConclusions/Significance: Treatment differences observed following feeding of Bt maize to sows did not indicate inflammation or allergy and are unlikely to be of major importance. These results provide additional data for Bt maize safety assessment.\r\n', 'en_US'),
(3988, 'Diffusion frequency and distance assessment of maize pollen.', '', 'en_US'),
(3989, 'Post-market environmental monitoring of Bt maize in Spain: non-target effects of varieties derived from the event MON810 on predatory fauna.', 'The Spanish Government has established post-market environmental monitoring (PMEM) as mandatory for genetically modified (GM) crop varieties cultivated in Spain. In order to comply with this regulation, effects of Bt maize varieties derived from the event MON810 on the predatory fauna were monitored for two years in northeast and central Spain. The study was carried out with a randomized block design in maize fields of 3-4 ha on which the abundance of plant-dwelling predators and the activity-density of soil-dwelling predators in Bt vs. non-Bt near-isogenic varieties were compared. To this end, the plots were sampled by visual inspection of a certain number of plants and pitfall traps 6 or 7 times throughout two seasons. No significant differences in predator densities on plants were found between Bt and non-Bt varieties. In the pitfall traps, significant differences between the two types of maize were found only in Staphylinidae, in which trap catches in non-Bt maize were higher than in Bt maize in central Spain. Based on the statistical power of the assays, surrogate arthropods for PMEM purposes are proposed; Orius spp. and Araneae for visual sampling and Carabidae, Araneae, and Staphylinidae for pitfall trapping. The other predator groups recorded in the study, Nabis sp. and Coccinellidae in visual sampling and Dermaptera in pitfall trapping, gave very poor power results. To help to establish a standardized protocol for PMEM of genetically modified crops, the effect-detecting capacity with a power of 0.8 of each predator group is given.', 'en_US'),
(3990, 'Effects of genetics and environment on the metabolome of commercial maize hybrids: a multisite study.', 'This study was designed to elucidate the biological variation in expression of many metabolites due to environment, genotype, or both, and to investigate the potential utility of metabolomics to supplement compositional analysis for substantial equivalence assessments of genetically modified (GM) crops. A total of 654 grain and 695 forage samples from 50 genetically diverse non-GM DuPont Pioneer maize hybrids grown at six locations in the U.S. and Canada were analyzed by coupled gas chromatography time-of-flight-mass spectrometry (GC/TOF-MS). A total of 156 and 185 metabolites were measured in grain and forage samples, respectively. Univariate and multivariate statistical analyses were employed extensively to compare and correlate the metabolite profiles. We show that the environment had far more impact on the forage metabolome compared to the grain metabolome, and the environment affected up to 50% of the metabolites compared to less than 2% by the genetic background. The findings from this study demonstrate that the combination of GC/TOF-MS metabolomics and comprehensive multivariate statistical analysis is a powerful approach to identify the sources of natural variation contributed by the environment and genotype.', 'en_US'),
(3991, 'Biotechnology in agriculture: agronomic and environmental considerations and reflections based on 15 years of GM crops.', 'Genetically modified (GM) varieties of crops, notably soybean, maize, rape (canola) and cotton, were first grown commercially in 1996. In 2010 they occupied 148 million ha in 29 countries, mostly in the Americas and Asia but with an obvious absence in Europe where their introduction has been controversial due to concerns about environmental impairment and adverse impacts on human health. This paper reviews the published literature on the agronomic and environmental impact of GM crops in the last 15 years. Overall, the impact of GM crops has largely been agronomically and environmentally positive in both developed and developing world contexts. The often claimed negative impacts of GM crops have yet to materialize on large scales in the field. Agronomically, there have been yield increases per unit area, mainly due to reduced losses as a result of improved pest (i.e. insect) and weed control; in the case of conventional crops grown near GM varieties with insect resistance there have been benefits due to the so-called ‘halo’ effect. Environmentally, the decrease in insecticide use has benefited non-target and beneficial organisms while surface and groundwater contamination is less significant; human-health problems related to pesticide use have also declined. Equally important is the reduced carbon footprint as energy inputs are reduced. Of particular note, however, is the recognition that the success or longevity of GM crops is reliant on the speed with which resistance develops in target weeds and insects. However, resistance to GM-based plant resistance is already being detected in some pest populations and this suggests that scientists and farmers cannot be complacent. Current GM approaches are relatively transitory as a means of combating pests, as are conventional pesticides, and good management will determine how long this strategy proves positive. However, GM is a comparatively new science and the possibilities are considerable.', 'en_US'),
(3992, 'Deriving criteria to select arthropod species for laboratory tests to assess the ecological risks from cultivating arthropod-resistant genetically engineered crops.', 'Arthropods form a major part of the biodiversity in agricultural landscapes. Many species are valued because they provide ecosystem services, including biological control, pollination and decomposition, or because they are of conservation interest. Some arthropods reduce crop yield and quality, and conventional chemical pesticides, biological control agents and genetically engineered (GE) crops are used to control them. A common concern addressed in the ecological risk assessment (ERA) that precedes regulatory approval of these pest control methods is their potential to adversely affect valued non-target arthropods (NTAs). A key concept of ERA is early-tier testing using worst-case exposure conditions in the laboratory and surrogate test species that are most likely to reveal an adverse effect. If no adverse effects are observed in those species at high exposures, confidence of negligible ecological risk from the use of the pest control method is increased. From experience with chemical pesticides and biological control agents, an approach is proposed for selecting test species for early-tier ERA of GE arthropod-resistant crops. Surrogate species should be selected that most closely meet three criteria: (i) Potential sensitivity: species should be the most likely to be sensitive to the arthropod-active compound based on the known spectrum of activity of the active ingredient, its mode of action, and the phylogenetic relatedness of the test and target species; (ii) Relevance: species should be representative of valued taxa or functional groups that are most likely to be exposed to the arthropod-active compound in the field; and (iii) Availability and reliability: suitable life-stages of the test species must be obtainable in sufficient quantity and quality, and validated test protocols must be available that allow consistent detection of adverse effects on ecologically relevant parameters. Our proposed approach ensures that the most suitable species are selected for testing and that the resulting data provide the most rigorous test of the risk hypothesis of no adverse effect in order to increase the quality and efficiency of ERAs for cultivation of GE crops.', 'en_US'),
(3993, 'Tritrofic interactions between Bt cotton plants, the aphid Aphis gossypii Glover, 1827 (Hemiptera: Aphididae), and the predator, Chrysoperla externa (Hagen, 1861) (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae).', 'This research examined the effects of the Cry1Ac toxin on the chrysopid predator Chrysoperla externa, fed Ashbya gossypii-aphids reared on cotton (Bt) NuOPAL and non-Bt DeltaOPAL (BollgardTM) for two generations. Individual eggs from the predator were placed in glass containers, and hatched. Each treatment consisted of 20 replicates, each containing one insect. Larvae in treatment 1 were fed A. gossypii individuals reared on a diet of NuOPAL (Bt) cotton leaves. Larvae in treatment 2 were given aphids of the same species previously fed leaves of conventional DeltaOPAL cotton. The average duration of larval instars, pre-pupal and pupal phases from both treatments (Bt and non-Bt) and between generations were evaluated using the t test at 5% probability. The duration of the larval instars in treatment 2 was longer than in treatment 1, but these differences were significant only for the second and third instars. In the second generation, a significant difference in the duration of the first instar and the larval phase were observed. However, when comparing the data on the duration of the second instar, the first generation predators in treatment 1 had a shorter lifespan. The average viability was 96.29% for non-Bt treatment against 91.07% for individuals in the Bt treatment. The results of this study suggests that the biology and development of C. externa larvae fed aphids reared on Bt cotton leaves were not affected by the Bt-toxin, possibly because these aphids do not accumulate the Bt-toxin.', 'en_US'),
(3994, 'Crop genome plasticity and its relevance to food and feed safety of genetically engineered breeding stacks.', 'Genetically engineered (GE) stacks, combinations of two or more single transgenic events (i.e. single-locus insertions) that have been produced by crossing sexually compatible parents, are an important and growing sector of the crop seed market. Stacked traits covered 26% of the global transgenic crop area in 2011 and were the fastest growing trait group, with a 31% increase in the area planted compared with 2010 (James, 2011). Stacked traits already dominate the market in some regions. For example, 95% of the cotton (Gossypium spp.) grown in Australia during 2011 had both herbicide tolerance and insect resistance traits (James, 2011). Worldwide, at least 12 countries are now growing stacked varieties, of which nine are developing countries (James, 2011). The rapid adoption of GE stacks has focused attention on whether the safety of such products differs from that of the individual events.\r\nAt issue is whether combining two or more events via conventional breeding creates changes that require additional safety assessment, even though the safety of each event in the stack has been assessed previously. The two main concerns are (1) whether combining two or more events into a plant by conventional breeding increases genomic instability and (2) whether potential interactions between the products of the transgenes in GE stacks impact safety. This paper draws on insights from plant breeding, describes the plasticity of conventional plant genomes over generations of crossing and selection, and considers the implications of event stacking on food and feed safety in the context of the normal plant genome.\r\nThe term GE is used here to distinguish the process of specific, intentional, and directed physical modification of the genome of a plant from random genetic modifications that occur in conventional breeding or by mutagenesis. The term GE is preferred over the term “genetically modified” (commonly referred to as GM) for these reasons. The term “event” refers to a single-locus insertion of recombinant DNA into the host genome regardless of the number of genes contained on the inserted piece of DNA. The term “conventional breeding” refers to methods of crossing plants with desired characteristics to generate offspring combining those desirable characteristics. These characteristics may include both non-GE and GE traits.', 'en_US'),
(3995, 'Review of the Seralini et al. (2012) publication on a 2-year rodent feeding study with glyphosate formulations and GM maize NK603 as published online on 19 September 2012 in Food and Chemical Toxicology.', 'On 19 September 2012, Séralini et al. published online in the scientific journal Food and Chemical Toxicology a publication describing a 2-year feeding study in rats investigating the health effects of genetically modified (GM) maize NK603 with and without Roundup WeatherMAX® and Roundup® GT Plus alone (both are glyphosate-containing plant protection products).  EFSA was requested by the European Commission to review this publication and to identify whether clarifications are needed from the authors. EFSA notes that the Séralini et al. (2012) study has unclear objectives and is inadequately reported in the publication, with many key details of the design, conduct and analysis being omitted. Without such details it is impossible to give weight to the results. Conclusions cannot be drawn on the difference in tumour incidence between the treatment groups on the basis of the design, the analysis and the results as reported in the Séralini et al. (2012) publication. In particular, Séralini et al. (2012) draw conclusions on the incidence of tumours based on 10 rats per treatment per sex which is an insufficient number of animals to distinguish between specific treatment effects and chance occurrences of tumours in rats.  Considering that the study as reported in the Séralini et al. (2012) publication is of inadequate design, analysis and reporting, EFSA finds that it is of insufficient scientific quality for safety assessment. Therefore EFSA, concludes that the Séralini et al. study as reported in the 2012 publication does not impact the ongoing re-evaluation of glyphosate, and does not see a need to reopen the existing safety evaluation of maize NK603 and its related stacks. EFSA will give the authors of the Séralini et al. (2012) publication the opportunity to provide further information on their study to EFSA.', 'en_US'),
(3996, 'Risk assessment of genetically modified organisms (GMOs).', 'EFSA’s remit in the risk assessment of GMOs is very broad encompassing genetically modified plants, microorganisms and animals and assessing their safety for humans, animals and the environment. The legal frame for GMOs is set by Directive 2001/18/EC on their release into the environment, and Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 on GM food and feed. The main focus of EFSA’s GMO Panel and GMO Unit lies in the evaluation of the scientific risk assessment of new applications for market authorisation of GMOs, and in the development of corresponding guidelines for the applicants. The EFSA GMO Panel has elaborated comprehensive guidance documents on GM plants, GM microorganisms and GM animals, as well as on specific aspects of risk assessment such as the selection of comparators. EFSA also provides special scientific advice upon request of the European Commission; examples are post-market environmental monitoring of GMOs, and consideration of potential risks of new plant breeding techniques. The GMO Panel regularly reviews its guidance documents in the light of experience gained with the evaluation of applications, technological progress in breeding technologies and scientific developments in the diverse areas of risk assessment.', 'en_US'),
(3997, 'Assessing the impact of pollen-mediated gene flow from GM herbicide tolerant Brassica napus into common wild relatives in Ireland.', 'Although now we have had many years of research completed on assessing the potential environmental impact of GM crops, concern remains over their potential impact on biodiversity in the rural landscape. In particular, issues have arisen in regards to the modification of crops with traits that could introgress into sexually compatible wild relatives. In contrast to wheat, barley, potato and maize, Brassica napus (oilseed rape) is the only commercial crop grown in Ireland at present with the potential to successfully transfer its DNA, via pollen-mediated gene flow, into inter-related weed species. This review details the species in question and by examining the relevant literature that relates to Irish agronomic conditions, demonstrates that gene flow is likely to occur, especially to an earlier used cultivar, Brassica rapa. However, the critical factor remains not that GM traits will flow from the commercial source but what might the consequences of said gene flow events be. This review indicates that the conferred trait in question (in this case, herbicide tolerance) can only impact on weed diversity in the presence of selecting herbicide action. In the absence of the herbicide, the GM traits will be lost from the wild species over time and will not confer any selective advantage that could facilitate population growth.', 'en_US'),
(3998, 'Lengthening of insect development on Bt zone results in adult emergence asynchrony: does it influence the effectiveness of the high dose/refuge zone strategy?', 'The “High Dose/Refuge” strategy (HD/R) is the currently recommended Insect Resistance Management strategy (IRM) to limit resistance development to Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) plants. This strategy requires planting a “refuge zone” composed of non-Bt plants suitable for the target insect and in close proximity to a “Bt zone” expressing a high toxin concentration. One of the main assumptions is that enough susceptible adults mate with resistant insects. However, previous studies have suggested that the high toxin concentration produced by Bt plants induces slower insect development, creating an asynchrony in emergence between the refuge and the Bt zone and leading to assortative mating between adults inside each zone. Here, we develop a deterministic model to estimate the impact of toxin concentration, emergence asynchrony and refuge zone size on the effectiveness of the HD/R strategy. We conclude that emergence asynchrony only affects resistance when toxin concentration is high and resistance is recessive. Resistance develops more rapidly and survival of susceptible insects is higher at lower toxin concentration, but in such situations, resistance is insensitive to emergence asynchrony.', 'en_US'),
(3999, 'Relationship between hybridization frequency of Brassica juncea x B. napus and distance from pollen source (B. napus) to recipient (B. juncea) under field conditions in Japan.', 'Several imported transgenic canola (Brassica napus) seeds have been spilled and have grown along roadsides around import ports. B. juncea, a relative of B. napus with which it has high interspecific crossability, is widely distributed throughout Japan. There is public concern about the harmful impacts of feral B. napus plants on biodiversity, but spontaneous hybridization between spilled B. napus and weedy B. juncea populations is hardly revealed. We evaluated the relationship between the hybridization frequency of B. juncea × B. napus and their planting distance in field experiments using the mutagenic herbicide-tolerant B. napus cv. Bn0861 as a pollen source for hybrid screening. The recipient B. juncea cv. Kikarashina was planted in an experimental field with Bn0861 planted in the center. No hybrids were detected under natural flowering conditions in 2009. However, the flowering period was artificially kept overlapping in 2010, leading to a hybridization frequency of 1.62% in the mixed planting area. The hybridization frequency decreased drastically with distance from the pollen source, and was lower under field conditions than estimated from the high crossability, implying that spontaneous hybridization between spilled B. napus and weedy B. juncea is unlikely in the natural environment.', 'en_US'),
(4000, 'Isolated females and limited males: evolution of insect resistance in structured landscapes.', 'To delay evolution of insect resistance to insecticidal Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner (Bt) transgenic crops, USA and Canadian maize growers commonly set aside a portion of each field as a refuge, where susceptible pests can develop without exposure to the toxin(s) expressed in the insecticidal crop. Abundant mate-seeking refuge adults are expected to move into insecticidal crop areas and mate with rare, resistant insects. Production of heterozygous offspring, rather than homozygous offspring reduces the rate of resistance evolution. Expectations about the refuge strategy are predicated on assumptions about when and where pest insects move and mate. Accumulating evidence indicates that the behavior of western corn rootworm beetles, Diabrotica virgifera virgiferaLeConte (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) (WCR), in refuge and corn rootworm (CRW)-active Bt-transgenic maize does not always conform to assumptions about random mating and individual movement. Contrary to expectations, up to 23.6% of unmated refuge females left refuge and were non-teneral by the time they mated in CRW-active maize. Consequences of protandry, limited male mating capacity, pre-mating male and female movement patterns, skewed sex ratios, and delayed adult emergence from CRW-active maize all may contribute to unexpected or undesirable patterns of WCR reproductive behavior. Modeling suggests that temporal and spatial components of WCR mating that limit interactions in block refuges can be reduced by deploying blended refuges.', 'en_US'),
(4001, 'Mortality impact of MON863 transgenic maize roots on western corn rootworm larvae in the field.', 'Mortality of western corn rootworm (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte) due to feeding on MON863 transgenic maize (Zea mays L.) expressing the Cry3Bb1 protein was evaluated at three Missouri sites in both 2003 and 2004 and at one site each in South Dakota, Nebraska and Iowa in 2004. To do this, survivorship relative to survivorship on isoline maize (i.e. the same genetic background, but without Cry3Bb1) was evaluated. Comparisons were made using low (1650–2500 eggs/m) and high (3300–3500 eggs/m) western corn rootworm egg densities. Significantly fewer beetles were recovered from MON863 than from isoline maize. Emergence from MON863 as a percentage of viable eggs ranged from 0.02% to 0.10%, whereas percentage emergence from isoline maize ranged from 1.09% to 7.14%. Survivorship on MON863 relative to survivorship on isoline averaged 1.51% when averaged across all environments and both years, so mortality because of the Cry3Bb1 protein averaged 98.49%. The average time delay to 50% cumulative beetle emergence from MON863 was 18.3 days later than from isoline maize. Females comprised 56% and 71% of total beetles recovered from MON863 in 2003 and 2004, respectively. Results are discussed in relation to insect resistance management (IRM) of western corn rootworm.', 'en_US'),
(4002, 'Assessment of fitness costs in Cry3Bb1-resistant and susceptible western corn rootworm (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) laboratory colonies.', 'Maize production in the United States is dominated by plants genetically modified with transgenes from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). Cry3Bb delta endotoxins expressed by Bt maize specifically target corn rootworms (genus Diabrotica) and have proven highly efficacious. However, development of resistance to Bt maize, especially among western corn rootworm (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera) populations, poses a significant threat to the future viability of this pest control biotechnology. The structured refuge insect resistance management (IRM) strategy implemented in the United States for Bt maize adopts a conservative approach to managing resistance by assuming no fitness costs of Bt resistance, even though these trade-offs strongly influence the dynamics of Bt resistance within numerous agricultural pest species. To investigate the effects of Bt resistance on fitness components of western corn rootworm, we compared survivorship, fecundity and viability of five Bt-resistant laboratory lines reared on MON863 (YieldGard Rootworm), a Bt maize product that expresses Cry3Bb1 delta endotoxin, and on its non-transgenic isoline. Analysis of performance on the isoline maize demonstrated no fitness costs associated with Bt resistance. In fact, resistant lines emerged approximately 2–3 days earlier than control lines when reared on both MON863 and the isoline, indicating that selection for Bt resistance resulted in a general increase in the rate of larval development. In addition, resistant lines reared on Bt maize displayed higher fecundity than those reared on the isoline, which may have significant management implications. These data will be valuable for formulating improved IRM strategies for a principal agricultural pest of maize.', 'en_US'),
(4003, 'Impact of Cartagena Protocol on developing countries.', 'Cartagena Protocol acts as an important baseline to national legislation and will have implications for the trade in GMOs and many Asian countries including India who is a signatory of this convention. The article highlights the key elements of the protocol and some measure to adhere to precautionary principle enshrined in the protocol.', 'en_US'),
(4004, 'Development of an early-tier laboratory bioassay for assessing the impact of orally-active insecticidal compounds on larvae of Coccinella septempunctata (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae).', 'Early-tier studies are the initial step in the environmental risk assessment of genetically engineered plants on nontarget arthropods. They are conducted in the laboratory where surrogate species are exposed to higher concentrations of the arthropod-active compound than those expected to occur in the field. Thus, early-tier tests provide robust data and allow to make general conclusions about the susceptibility of the surrogate to the test substance. We have developed an early-tier test for assessing the toxicity of orally-active insecticidal compounds to larvae of the ladybird beetle Coccinella septempunctata L. (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae). Using potassium arsenate and the protease inhibitor E-64 as model compounds, we validated the bioassay set-up for C. septempunctata. Sucrose solution containing the test compound was offered to larvae for 24 h on the first day of each of its four larval instars. Subsequently, larvae were fed ad libitum with Ephestia kuehniella (Zeller) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) eggs. Both compounds negatively affected C. septempunctata larval survival and development, and adult weight, indicating that the bioassay setup was able to detect dietary effects of insecticidal substances on the ladybird. Power analyses revealed that sample sizes of 20 or 45 per treatment are sufficient to detect 50 or 20% differences between the control and treatment groups, respectively, for the various measurement endpoints.', 'en_US');
