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Question

What efforts are being performed towards the reduction of the negative effects of genetic pollution and resultant loss of genetic biodiversity due to cross pollination of GMO's with those of non-GMO crops?
EX: Contamination of indigenous Mexican corn varieties from currently used GMO corn crops

Submitted by: roverto


Answer

Expert response from Juan Manuel de la Fuente Martínez

Regulatory Policy and Scientific Affairs, Latin America North, Bayer Crop Science

Tuesday, 24/02/2015 11:44

Thank you for your message; there are important topics in your question that I´ll address individually.

 

First, I want to share with you important information about the reproductive biology of maize.  Maize is a natural cross-pollinated crop and it is expected to outcross with sexually compatible plants in its proximity assuming certain environmental conditions are met (e.g. wind, temperature and relative humidity). Gene flow among different maize materials is neither a new process nor specific for GM maize and it has been occurring for thousands of years.  The results of gene flow in maize have been well understood and effectively managed for several decades. 

 

 A well-recognized example of coexistence in Mexico is the cultivation of conventional maize hybrids (programs for hybrid seed production started in 1933 and were consolidated in 1961[1]) in close proximity to landraces of maize [2].

 

Second, maize resistant to insect pests and tolerant to herbicides have been developed with the use of Biotechnology i.e. genetic modification (GM).  All GM products currently in the market have been evaluated for food, feed and environmental safety by Regulatory agencies in many countries.  These global bodies [3] have concluded that GM maize is as safe as its conventional counterpart.

 

Third, specific and strict biosafety measures are implemented to ensure that GM maize field trials comply with the special protection regime for maize published in 2008 [4] drastically reducing  any possibility of gene flow.  

 

If transgenes are transferred to maize landraces through gene flow, it is expected that the acquired traits by the landrace will behave like any other gene in the maize genome.   If the transferred trait from GM maize to the landrace expresses a characteristic beneficial to farmers, they could select for this particular trait (like they have done with traits obtained from conventional maize or from other landraces).  Nonetheless, it is important to indicate that the landrace is valued by farmers for many other characteristics (e.g. seed color and texture).  If the acquired trait changes the main characteristic that the farmer wants, they will select against the plants containing the acquired trait, therefore eliminating the new GM-landraces plants from the population.  

 

Finally, there is vast evidence that GM traits approved and used for maize commercial production does not modify its composition nor its food, feed and environmental safety.  Therefore, it is highly unlikely that the presence of GM traits will impact negatively in maize landrace biodiversity [5, 6].  

Thanks again for your participation; we agree on the interest in the conservation of biodiversity and the responsible use of science and technology.

 

Bibliography:

 

  1. Reyes Castañeda, Pedro. Primera Edición, 1990. El maíz y su cultivo. A.G.T. Editor, S.A. ISBN: 968-463-052-2

 

  1. Bellon, R.M. and J. Risopoulos (2001) Small-scale farmers expand the benefits of improved maize germplasm: a case study from Chiapas, Mexico.  World Dev. 29:799-811.

 

  1. James, Clive. 2013. Global Status of Commercialized Biotech/GM Crops: 2013. ISAAA Brief No. 46. ISAAA: Ithaca, NY.

 

  1. Diario Oficial de la Federacion. 2008. Reglamento de la Ley de Bioseguridad de Organismos Geneticamente Modificados. SEGOB Mexico Marzo 19, 2008.

 

  1. Bellon, R.M. and J. Berthaud (2004) Transgenic maize and the evolution of landrace diversity in Mexico. The importance of farmers’ behavior.  Plant Physiol. 134:883-888.

 

  1. Bellon, R.M. and J. Berthaud (2006) Traditional Mexican agricultural systems and the potential inpacts of transgenic varieties on maize diversity.  Agric. Hum. Val. 23:3-14.