<p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Field Testing</b></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">The canola lines 23-198 and 23-18-17 were field tested in the United States (1991-1992) and Canada (1993 to 1995). Agronomic and adaptation characteristics such as seed germination, seed yield, seedling growth, flowering and maturity dates, were within the normal range of expression of characteristics in unmodified counterparts. The laurate canola lines were generally taller, later maturing and lower yielding, reflecting characteristics of the parent line 212/86. Disease incidence (<i>i.e.</i> stem rot, blackleg, black spot, black rot, powdery mildew, gray stem, damping off, turnip mosaic, cauliflower mosaic, crown gall) and insect susceptibilities (flea beetles and aphids) were monitored during field trials and in greenhouses and were shown to the same as those of unmodified counterparts. The only significant consistent difference between high laurate canola and the parent variety was the increase in laurate content from less than 0.1% to greater than 10%. The high laurate <i>B. napus</i> lines are grown under contract to preserve their identity and prevent mixing with conventional canola. Overall the field data reports demonstrated that canola lines 23-198 and 23-18-17 had no potential to pose a plant pest risk.</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Outcrossing</b></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><i>B. napus</i> plants, including lines 23-198 and 23-18-17, are known to outcross up to 30% with other plants of the same species, and potentially with plants of related species <i>B. rapa</i>, <i>B. juncea</i>, <i>B. carinata</i>, <i>B. nigra</i>, <i>Diplotaxis muralis</i>, <i>Raphanus raphanistrum</i>, and <i>Erucastrum gallicum</i>. Previous studies have demonstrated that gene flow is most likely to occur with <i>B. rapa</i>. Other studies concluded that transgenic canola was not any more aggressive than nontransgenic canola, was not invasive of undisturbed habitats, and did not persist in the environment into which it was introduced. It was concluded that gene flow from the transgenic lines 23-198 and 23-18-17 to canola relatives was possible, but would not result in increased weediness or invasiveness of these relatives.</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Weediness Potential</b></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">The introduced trait, laurate content, was determined to be extremely unlikely to increase weediness of canola lines 23-198 and 23-18-17. It was determined that the increased levels of lauric acid did not confer a competitive advantage to canola lines 23-198 and 23-18-17 over non-transgenic varieties since the novel trait did not confer any pest resistance, alter reproductive biology or change any physiology related to survival. Other studies on fitness characteristics determined that there was no obvious increase in volunteers from seed, increase in seed dormancy, or other variations indicative of increased weediness.</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Secondary and Non-Target Adverse Effects</b></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">It was determined that there was no reason to believe that deleterious effects or significant impacts on nontarget organisms, including beneficial organisms, would result from the cultivation of high laurate canola. Neither lauric acid, nor the gene that produces increased laurate, nor the gene for aminoglycoside resistance were found to have any toxic or allergenic properties. Both Bay TE and NPTII enzymes are ubiquitous in nature and no adverse effects have been reported to be associated with either enzyme.</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Impact on Biodiversity</b></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">Canola lines 23-18-17 and 23-198 have no novel phenotypic characteristics that would extend their use beyond the current geographic range of canola production. Since outcross species are only found in disturbed habitats, transfer of novel traits would not impact unmanaged environments. It was concluded that the potential impact on biodiversity of high laurate canola lines was equivalent to that of currently commercialized canola lines.</p>
