Genetically modified crops

Genetically modified crops (GMCs, GM crops, or biotech crops) are plants used in agriculture, the DNA of which has been modified using genetic engineering techniques. In most cases, the aim is to introduce a new trait to the plant which does not occur naturally in the species. Examples in food crops include resistance to certain pests, diseases, or environmental conditions, reduction of spoilage, or resistance to chemical treatments (e.g. resistance to a herbicide), or improving the nutrient profile of the crop. Examples in non-food crops include production of pharmaceutical agents, biofuels, and other industrially useful goods, as well as for bioremediation.[1]

Farmers have widely adopted GM technology. Between 1996 and 2013, the total surface area of land cultivated with GM crops increased by a factor of 100, from 17,000 km2 (4.2 million acres) to 1,750,000 km2 (432 million acres).[1] 10% of the world's arable land was planted with GM crops in 2010.[2] In the US, by 2014, 94% of the planted area of soybeans, 96% of cotton and 93% of corn were genetically modified varieties.[3] Use of GM crops expanded rapidly in developing countries, with about 18 million farmers growing 54% of worldwide GM crops by 2013.[1] A 2014 meta-analysis concluded that GM technology adoption had reduced chemical pesticide use by 37%, increased crop yields by 22%, and increased farmer profits by 68%.[4] This reduction in pesticide use has been ecologically beneficial, but benefits may be reduced by overuse.[5] Yield gains and pesticide reductions are larger for insect-resistant crops than for herbicide-tolerant crops. Yield and profit gains are higher in developing countries than in developed countries.[4]

There is general scientific agreement that food on the market derived from GM crops poses no greater risk to human health than conventional food, but should be tested on a case-by-case basis.[6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15] However, opponents have objected to GM crops on several grounds, including environmental concerns, whether food produced from GM crops is safe, whether GM crops are needed to address the world's food needs, and concerns raised by the fact these organisms are subject to intellectual property law.

Gene transfer in nature and traditional agriculture

DNA transfers naturally between organisms.[16] Several natural mechanisms allow gene flow across species. These occur in nature on a large scale – for example, it is one mechanism for the development of antibiotic resistance in bacteria.[17] This is facilitated by transposons, retrotransposons, proviruses and other mobile genetic elements that naturally translocate DNA to new loci in a genome.[18][19] Movement occurs over an evolutionary time scale.[20][21][22]

The introduction of foreign germplasm into crops has been achieved by traditional crop breeders by overcoming species barriers. A hybrid cereal grain was created in 1875, by crossing wheat and rye.[23] Since then important traits including dwarfing genes and rust resistance have been introduced.[24] Plant tissue culture and deliberate mutations have enabled humans to alter the makeup of plant genomes.[25][26]

History

The first genetically modified crop plant was produced in 1982, an antibiotic-resistant tobacco plant.[27] The first field trials occurred in France and the USA in 1986, when tobacco plants were engineered for herbicide resistance.[28] In 1987, Plant Genetic Systems (Ghent, Belgium), founded by Marc Van Montagu and Jeff Schell, was the first company to genetically engineer insect-resistant (tobacco) plants by incorporating genes that produced insecticidal proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt).[29]

The People’s Republic of China was the first country to allow commercialized transgenic plants, introducing a virus-resistant tobacco in 1992,[30] which was withdrawn in 1997.[31]:3 The first genetically modified crop approved for sale in the U.S., in 1994, was the FlavrSavr tomato. It had a longer shelf life, because it took longer to soften after ripening.[32] In 1994, the European Union approved tobacco engineered to be resistant to the herbicide bromoxynil, making it the first commercially genetically engineered crop marketed in Europe.[33]

In 1995, Bt Potato was approved by the US Environmental Protection Agency, making it the country's first pesticide producing crop.[34] In 1995 canola with modified oil composition (Calgene), Bt maize (Ciba-Geigy), bromoxynil-resistant cotton (Calgene), Bt cotton (Monsanto), glyphosate-resistant soybeans (Monsanto), virus-resistant squash (Asgrow), and additional delayed ripening tomatoes (DNAP, Zeneca/Peto, and Monsanto) were approved.[28] As of mid-1996, a total of 35 approvals had been granted to commercially grow 8 transgenic crops and one flower crop (carnation), with 8 different traits in 6 countries plus the EU.[28] In 2000, Vitamin A-enriched golden rice was developed. In 2013 the leaders of the three research teams that first applied genetic engineering to crops, Robert Fraley, Marc Van Montagu and Mary-Dell Chilton were awarded the World Food Prize for improving the "quality, quantity or availability" of food in the world.[35]

Methods

Plants (Solanum chacoense) being transformed using agrobacterium

Genetically engineered crops have genes added or removed using genetic engineering techniques,[36] originally including gene guns, electroporation, microinjection and agrobacterium. More recently, CRISPR and TALEN offered much more precise and convenient editing techniques.

Gene guns (a.k.a. biolistic) "shoot" (direct high energy particles or radiations against[37]) target genes into plant cells. It is the most common method. DNA is bound to tiny particles of gold or tungsten which are subsequently shot into plant tissue or single plant cells under high pressure. The accelerated particles penetrate both the cell wall and membranes. The DNA separates from the metal and is integrated into plant DNA inside the nucleus. This method has been applied successfully for many cultivated crops, especially monocots like wheat or maize, for which transformation using Agrobacterium tumefaciens has been less successful.[38] The major disadvantage of this procedure is that serious damage can be done to the cellular tissue.

Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation is another common technique. Agrobacteria are natural plant parasites, and their natural ability to transfer genes provides another engineering method. To create a suitable environment for themselves, these Agrobacteria insert their genes into plant hosts, resulting in a proliferation of modified plant cells near the soil level (crown gall). The genetic information for tumour growth is encoded on a mobile, circular DNA fragment (plasmid). When Agrobacterium infects a plant, it transfers this T-DNA to a random site in the plant genome. When used in genetic engineering the bacterial T-DNA is removed from the bacterial plasmid and replaced with the desired foreign gene. The bacterium is a vector, enabling transportation of foreign genes into plants. This method works especially well for dicotyledonous plants like potatoes, tomatoes, and tobacco. Agrobacteria infection is less successful in crops like wheat and maize.

Electroporation is used when the plant tissue does not contain cell walls. In this technique, "DNA enters the plant cells through miniature pores which are temporarily caused by electric pulses."

Microinjection directly injects the gene into the DNA.[39]

Plant scientists, backed by results of modern comprehensive profiling of crop composition, point out that crops modified using GM techniques are less likely to have unintended changes than are conventionally bred crops.[40][41]

In research tobacco and Arabidopsis thaliana are the most frequently modified plants, due to well-developed transformation methods, easy propagation and well studied genomes.[42][43] They serve as model organisms for other plant species.

Introducing new genes into plants requires a promoter specific to the area where the gene is to be expressed. For instance, to express a gene only in rice grains and not in leaves, an endosperm-specific promoter is used. The codons of the gene must be optimized for the organism due to codon usage bias. Transgenic gene products should be able to be denatured by heat so that they are destroyed during cooking.

Types of modifications

Transgenic maize containing a gene from the bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis

Transgenic

Transgenic plants have genes inserted into them that are derived from another species. The inserted genes can come from species within the same kingdom (plant to plant) or between kingdoms (for example, bacteria to plant). In many cases the inserted DNA has to be modified slightly in order to correctly and efficiently express in the host organism. Transgenic plants are used to express proteins like the cry toxins from B. thuringiensis, herbicide resistant genes, antibodies[44] and antigens for vaccinations[45] A study led by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) found also viral genes in transgenic plants.[46]

Transgenic carrots have been used to produce the drug Taliglucerase alfa which is used to treat Gaucher's disease.[47] In the laboratory, transgenic plants have been modified to increase photosynthesis (currently about 2% at most plants versus the theoretic potential of 9–10%).[48] This is possible by changing the rubisco enzyme (i.e. changing C3 plants into C4 plants[49]), by placing the rubisco in a carboxysome, by adding CO2 pumps in the cell wall,[50][51] by changing the leaf form/size.[52][53][54][55] Plants have been engineered to exhibit bioluminescence that may become a sustainable alternative to electric lighting.[56]

Cisgenic

Cisgenic plants are made using genes found within the same species or a closely related one, where conventional plant breeding can occur. Some breeders and scientists argue that cisgenic modification is useful for plants that are difficult to crossbreed by conventional means (such as potatoes), and that plants in the cisgenic category should not require the same regulatory scrutiny as transgenics.[57]

Subgenic

In 2014, Chinese researcher Gao Caixia filed patents on the creation of a strain of wheat that is resistant to powdery mildew. The strain lacks genes that encode proteins that repress defenses against the mildew. The researchers deleted all three copies of the genes from wheat's hexaploid genome. The strain promises to reduce or eliminate the heavy use of fungicides to control the disease. Gao used the TALENs and CRISPR gene editing tools without adding or changing any other genes. No field trials were immediately planned.[58][59]

Economics

GM food's economic value to farmers is one of its major benefits, including in developing nations.[60][61][62] A 2010 study found that Bt corn provided economic benefits of $6.9 billion over the previous 14 years in five Midwestern states. The majority ($4.3 billion) accrued to farmers producing non-Bt corn. This was attributed to European corn borer populations reduced by exposure to Bt corn, leaving fewer to attack conventional corn nearby.[63][64] Agriculture economists calculated that "world surplus [increased by] $240.3 million for 1996. Of this total, the largest share (59%) went to U.S. farmers. Seed company Monsanto received the next largest share (21%), followed by US consumers (9%), the rest of the world (6%), and the germplasm supplier, Delta and Pine Land Company (5%)."[65]

According to the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA), in 2014 approximately 18 million farmers grew biotech crops in 28 countries; about 94% of the farmers were resource-poor in developing countries. 53% of the global biotech crop area of 181.5 million hectares was grown in 20 developing countries.[66] PG Economics comprehensive 2012 study concluded that GM crops increased farm incomes worldwide by $14 billion in 2010, with over half this total going to farmers in developing countries.[67]

Critics challenged the claimed benefits to farmers over the prevalence of biased observers and by the absence of randomized controlled trials. The main Bt crop grown by small farmers in developing countries is cotton. A 2006 review of Bt cotton findings by agricultural economists concluded, "the overall balance sheet, though promising, is mixed. Economic returns are highly variable over years, farm type, and geographical location".[68] However, environmental activist Mark Lynas said that complete rejection of genetic engineering is "illogical and potentially harmful to the interests of poorer peoples and the environment".[69]

In 2013 the European Academies Science Advisory Council (EASAC) asked the EU to allow the development of agricultural GM technologies to enable more sustainable agriculture, by employing fewer land, water and nutrient resources. EASAC also criticizes the EU's "timeconsuming and expensive regulatory framework" and said that the EU had fallen behind in the adoption of GM technologies.[70]

Participants in agriculture business markets include seed companies, agrochemical companies, distributors, farmers, grain elevators and universities that develop new crops/traits and whose agricultural extensions advise farmers on best practices. According to a 2012 review based on data from the late 1990s and early 2000s, much of the GM crop grown each year is used for livestock feed and increased demand for meat leads to increased demand for GM feedcrops.[71] Feed grain usage as a percentage of total crop production is 70% for corn and more than 90% of oil seed meals such as soybeans. About 65 million metric tons of GM corn grains and about 70 million metric tons of soybean meals derived from GM soybean become feed.[71]

In 2014 the global value of biotech seed was US$15.7 billion; US$11.3 billion (72%) was in industrial countries and US$4.4 billion (28%) was in the developing countries.[66] In 2009, Monsanto had $7.3 billion in sales of seeds and from licensing its technology; DuPont, through its Pioneer subsidiary, was the next biggest company in that market.[72] As of 2009, the overall Roundup line of products including the GM seeds represented about 50% of Monsanto's business.[73]

Some patents on GM traits have expired, allowing the legal development of generic strains that include these traits. For example, generic glyphosate-tolerant GM soybean is now available. Another impact is that traits developed by one vendor can be added to another vendor's proprietary strains, potentially increasing product choice and competition.[74] The patent on the first type of Roundup Ready crop that Monsanto produced (soybeans) expired in 2014[75] and the first harvest of off-patent soybeans occurs in the spring of 2015.[76] Monsanto has broadly licensed the patent to other seed companies that include the glyphosate resistance trait in their seed products.[77] About 150 companies have licensed the technology,[78] including Syngenta[79] and DuPont Pioneer.[80]

Yield

In 2014 the largest review yet concluded that GM crops’ effects on farming were positive. The meta-analysis considered all published English-language examinations of the agronomic and economic impacts between 1995 and March 2014. The study found that herbicide-tolerant crops have lower production costs, while for insect-resistant crops the reduced pesticide use was offset by higher seed prices, leaving overall production costs about the same.[4][81]

Yields increased 9% for herbicide tolerance and 25% for insect resistant varieties. Farmers who adopted GM crops made 69% higher profits than those who did not. The review found that GM crops help farmers in developing countries, increasing yields by 14 percentage points.[81]

The researchers considered some studies that were not peer-reviewed, and a few that did not report sample sizes. They attempted to correct for publication bias, by considering sources beyond academic journals. The large data set allowed the study to control for potentially confounding variables such as fertiliser use. Separately, they concluded that the funding source did not influence study results.[81]

Traits

GM crops grown today, or under development, have been modified with various traits. These traits include improved shelf life, disease resistance, stress resistance, herbicide resistance, pest resistance, production of useful goods such as biofuel or drugs, and ability to absorb toxins and for use in bioremediation of pollution.

Recently, research and development has been targeted to enhancement of crops that are locally important in developing countries, such as insect-resistant cowpea for Africa[82] and insect-resistant brinjal (eggplant).[83]

Lifetime

The first genetically modified crop approved for sale in the U.S. was the FlavrSavr tomato, which had a longer shelf life.[32] It is no longer on the market.

In November 2014, the USDA approved a GM potato that prevents bruising.[84][85]

In February 2015 Arctic Apples were approved by the USDA,[86] becoming the first genetically modified apple approved for US sale.[87] Gene silencing was used to reduce the expression of polyphenol oxidase (PPO), thus preventing enzymatic browning of the fruit after it has been sliced open. The trait was added to Granny Smith and Golden Delicious varieties.[86][88] The trait includes a bacterial antibiotic resistance gene that provides resistance to the antibiotic kanamycin. The genetic engineering involved cultivation in the presence of kanamycin, which allowed only resistant cultivars to survive. Humans consuming apples do not acquire kanamycin resistance, per arcticapple.com.[89] The FDA approved the apples in March 2015.[90]

Nutrition

Edible oils

Some GM soybeans offer improved oil profiles for processing or healthier eating.[91][92] Camelina sativa has been modified to produce plants that accumulate high levels of oils similar to fish oils.[93][94]

Vitamin enrichment

Golden rice, developed by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), provides greater amounts of Vitamin A targeted at reducing Vitamin A deficiency.[95][96]

Researchers vitamin-enriched corn derived from South African white corn variety M37W, producing a 169-fold increase in Vitamin A, 6-fold increase in Vitamin C and doubled concentrations of folate.[97] Modified Cavendish bananas express 10-fold the amount of Vitamin A as unmodified varieties.[98]

Toxin reduction

A genetically modified cassava under development offers lower cyanogen glucosides and enhanced protein and other nutrients (called BioCassava).[99]

In November 2014, the USDA approved a potato, developed by J.R. Simplot Company, that prevents bruising and produces less acrylamide when fried. The modifications prevent natural, harmful proteins from being made via RNA interference.[84][85] They do not employ genes from non-potato species. The trait was added to the Russet Burbank, Ranger Russet and Atlantic varieties.[84]

Stress resistance

Plants engineered to tolerate non-biological stressors such as drought,[84][85][100][101] frost,[102][103] high soil salinity,[104][105] and nitrogen starvation[106] were in development. In 2011, Monsanto's DroughtGard maize became the first drought-resistant GM crop to receive US marketing approval.[107]

Herbicides

Glyphosate

As of 1999 the most prevalent GM trait was glyphosate-resistance.[108] Glyphosate, (the active ingredient in Roundup and other herbicide products) kills plants by interfering with the shikimate pathway in plants, which is essential for the synthesis of the aromatic amino acids phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan. The shikimate pathway is not present in animals, which instead obtain aromatic amino acids from their diet. More specifically, glyphosate inhibits the enzyme 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (EPSPS).

This trait was developed because the herbicides used on grain and grass crops at the time were highly toxic and not effective against narrow-leaved weeds. Thus, developing crops that could withstand spraying with glyphosate would both reduce environmental and health risks, and give an agricultural edge to the farmer.[108]

Some micro-organisms have a version of EPSPS that is resistant to glyphosate inhibition. One of these was isolated from an Agrobacterium strain CP4 (CP4 EPSPS) that was resistant to glyphosate.[109][110] The CP4 EPSPS gene was engineered for plant expression by fusing the 5' end of the gene to a chloroplast transit peptide derived from the petunia EPSPS. This transit peptide was used because it had shown previously an ability to deliver bacterial EPSPS to the chloroplasts of other plants. This CP4 EPSPS gene was cloned and transfected into soybeans.

The plasmid used to move the gene into soybeans was PV-GMGTO4. It contained three bacterial genes, two CP4 EPSPS genes, and a gene encoding beta-glucuronidase (GUS) from Escherichia coli as a marker. The DNA was injected into the soybeans using the particle acceleration method. Soybean cultivar A54O3 was used for the transformation.

Bromoxynil

Tobacco plants have been engineered to be resistant to the herbicide bromoxynil.[33]

Glufosinate

Crops have been commercialized that are resistant to the herbicide glufosinate, as well.[111] Crops engineered for resistance to multiple herbicides to allow farmers to use a mixed group of two, three, or four different chemicals are under development to combat growing herbicide resistance.[112][113]

2-4D

In October 2014 the US EPA registered Dow's Enlist Duo maize, which is genetically modified to be resistant to both glyphosate and 2,4-D, in six states.[114][115] Inserting a bacterial aryloxyalkanoate dioxygenase gene, aad1 makes the corn resistant to 2,4-D.[114][116] The USDA had approved maize and soybeans with the mutation in September 2014.[117]

Dicamba

Monsanto has requested approval for a stacked strain that is tolerant of both glyphosate and dicamba.[118]

Pest resistance

Insects

Tobacco, corn, rice and many other crops have been engineered to express genes encoding for insecticidal proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt).[34][119] Papaya, potatoes, and squash have been engineered to resist viral pathogens such as cucumber mosaic virus which, despite its name, infects a wide variety of plants.[120] The introduction of Bt crops during the period between 1996 and 2005 has been estimated to have reduced the total volume of insecticide active ingredient use in the United States by over 100 thousand tons. This represents a 19.4% reduction in insecticide use.[121]

In the late 1990s, a genetically modified potato that was resistant to the Colorado potato beetle was withdrawn because major buyers rejected it, fearing consumer opposition.[84]

Viruses

Virus resistant papaya were developed In response to a papaya ringspot virus (PRV) outbreak in Hawaii in the late 1990s. . They incorporate PRV DNA.[122][123] By 2010, 80% of Hawaiian papaya plants were genetically modified.[124][125]

Potatoes were engineered for resistance to potato leaf roll virus and Potato virus Y in 1998. Poor sales led to their market withdrawal after three years.[126]

Yellow squash that were resistant to at first two, then three viruses were developed, beginning in the 1990s. The viruses are watermelon, cucumber and zucchini/courgette yellow mosaic. Squash was the second GM crop to be approved by US regulators. The trait was later added to zucchini.[127]

Many strains of corn have been developed in recent years to combat the spread of Maize dwarf mosaic virus, a costly virus that causes stunted growth which is carried in Johnson grass and spread by aphid insect vectors. These strands are commercially available although the resistance is not standard among GM corn variants.[128]

By-products

Drugs

In 2012, the FDA approved the first plant-produced pharmaceutical, a treatment for Gaucher's Disease.[129] Tobacco plants have been modified to produce therapeutic antibodies.[130]

Biofuel

Algae is under development for use in biofuels.[131] Modified jatropha offers improved qualities for fuel. Syngenta has USDA approval to market a maize trademarked Enogen that has been genetically modified to convert its starch to sugar for ethanol.[132] In 2013, the Flemish Institute for Biotechnology was investigating poplar trees genetically engineered to contain less lignin to ease conversion into ethanol.[133] Lignin is the critical limiting factor when using wood to make bio-ethanol because lignin limits the accessibility of cellulose microfibrils to depolymerization by enzymes.[134]

Materials

Companies and labs are working on plants that can be used to make bioplastics.[135] Potatoes that produce industrially useful starches have been developed as well.[136] Oilseed can be modified to produce fatty acids for detergents, substitute fuels and petrochemicals.

Bioremediation

Scientists at the University of York developed a weed (Arabidopsis thaliana) that contains genes from bacteria that can clean TNT and RDX-explosive soil contaminants.[137] 16 million hectares in the USA (1.5% of the total surface) are estimated to be contaminated with TNT and RDX. However A. thaliana was not tough enough for use on military test grounds.[138]

Genetically modified plants have been used for bioremediation of contaminated soils. Mercury, selenium and organic pollutants such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).[138][139]

Marine environments are especially vulnerable since pollution such as oil spills are not containable. In addition to anthropogenic pollution, millions of tons of petroleum annually enter the marine environment from natural seepages. Despite its toxicity, a considerable fraction of petroleum oil entering marine systems is eliminated by the hydrocarbon-degrading activities of microbial communities. Particularly successful is a recently discovered group of specialists, the so-called hydrocarbonoclastic bacteria (HCCB) that may offer useful genes.[140]

Asexual reproduction

Crops such as maize reproduce sexually each year. This randomizes which genes get propagated to the next generation, meaning that desirable traits can be lost. To maintain a high-quality crop, some farmers purchase seeds every year. Typically, the seed company maintains two inbred varieties, and crosses them into a hybrid strain that is then sold. Related plants like sorghum and gamma grass are able to perform apomixis, a form of asexual reproduction that keeps the plant's DNA intact. This trait is apparently controlled by a single dominant gene, but traditional breeding has been unsuccessful in creating asexually-reproducing maize. Genetic engineering offers another route to this goal. Successful modification would allow farmers to replant harvested seeds that retain desirable traits, rather than relying on purchased seed.[141]

Crops

As of 2010 food species for which a genetically modified version is being commercially grown (percent modified in the table below are mostly 2009/2010 data) include:[142][143][144][145][146][147]

Crop Traits Modification Percent modified in US Percent modified in world
Alfalfa Tolerance of glyphosate or glufosinate Genes added Planted in the US from 2005–2007; 2007–2010 court injunction; 2011 approved for sale
Apples Delayed browning[88] Genes added for reduced polyphenol oxidase (PPO) production from other apples[88] 2015 approved for sale[86]
Canola/ Rapeseed Tolerance of glyphosate or glufosinate High laurate canola,[148] Oleic acid canola[149] Genes added 87% (2005)[147] 21%
Corn Tolerance of herbicides glyphosate glufosinate, and 2,4-D. Insect resistance. Added enzyme, alpha amylase, that converts starch into sugar to facilitate ethanol production. Viral resistance[150] Genes, some from Bt, added.[151] Herbicide-resistant: 2013, 85%[152] Bt: 2013, 76%[152] Stacked: 2013, 71% 26%
Cotton (cottonseed oil) Insect resistance Genes, some from Bt, added Herbicide-resistant: 2013, 82%[152] Bt: 2013, 75%[152] Stacked: 2013, 71%[152] 49%
Eggplant Insect resistance[153] Genes from Bt Negligible Negligible
Papaya (Hawaiian) Resistance to the papaya ringspot virus.[154] Gene added 80%
Potato (food) Resistance to Colorado beetle Resistance to potato leaf roll virus and Potato virus Y[136]
Reduced acrylamide when fried and reduced bruising[84]
Bt cry3A, coat protein from PVY[155] "Innate" potatoes added genetic material coding for mRNA for RNA interference[84] 0% 0%
Potato (starch) Antibiotic resistance gene, used for selection

Better starch production[156]

Antibiotic resistance gene from bacteria

Modifications to endogenous starch-producing enzymes

0% 0%
Rice Enriched with beta-carotene (a source of vitamin A) Genes from maize and a common soil microorganism.[157][158] Forecast to be on the market in 2015 or 2016[159]
Soybeans Tolerance of glyphosate or glufosinate

Reduced saturated fats (high oleic acid);[160]

Kills susceptible insect pests

Viral resistance

Herbicide resistant gene taken from bacteria added

Knocked out native genes that catalyze saturation

Gene for one or more Bt crystal proteins added

2014: 94%[152] 77%
Squash (Zucchini/Courgette) Resistance to watermelon, cucumber and zucchini/courgette yellow mosaic viruses[149][161][162] Viral coat protein genes 13% (figure is from 2005)[147]
Sugar beet Tolerance of glyphosate, glufosinate Genes added 95% (2010); regulated 2011; deregulated 2012 9%
Sugarcane Pesticide tolerance

High sucrose content.

Genes added
Sweet peppers Resistance to cucumber mosaic virus[163][164] Viral coat protein genes Small quantities grown in China
Tomatoes Suppression of the enzyme polygalacturonase (PG), retarding fruit softening after harvesting,[165] while at the same time retaining both the natural color and flavor of the fruit Antisense gene of the gene responsible for PG enzyme production added Taken off the market due to commercial failure. Small quantities grown in China

Development

The number of USDA-approved field releases for testing grew from 4 in 1985 to 1,194 in 2002 and averaged around 800 per year thereafter. The number of sites per release and the number of gene constructs (ways that the gene of interest is packaged together with other elements)—have rapidly increased since 2005. Releases with agronomic properties (such as drought resistance) jumped from 1,043 in 2005 to 5,190 in 2013. As of September 2013, about 7,800 releases had been approved for corn, more than 2,200 for soybeans, more than 1,100 for cotton, and about 900 for potatoes. Releases were approved for herbicide tolerance (6,772 releases), insect resistance (4,809), product quality such as flavor or nutrition (4,896), agronomic properties like drought resistance (5,190), and virus/fungal resistance (2,616). The institutions with the most authorized field releases include Monsanto with 6,782, Pioneer/DuPont with 1,405, Syngenta with 565, and USDA’s Agricultural Research Service with 370. As of September 2013 USDA had received proposals for releasing GM rice, squash, plum, rose, tobacco, flax and chicory.[152]

Farming practices

Resistance

Bt resistance

Constant exposure to a toxin creates evolutionary pressure for pests resistant to that toxin. Overreliance on glyphosate and a reduction in the diversity of weed management practices allowed the spread of glyphosate resistance in 14 weed species/biotypes in the US.[152]

One method of reducing resistance is the creation of refuges to allow nonresistant organisms to survive and maintain a susceptible population.

To reduce resistance to Bt crops, the 1996 commercialization of transgenic cotton and maize came with a management strategy to prevent insects from becoming resistant. Insect resistance management plans are mandatory for Bt crops. The aim is to encourage a large population of pests so that any (recessive) resistance genes are diluted within the population. Resistance lowers evolutionary fitness in the absence of the stressor (Bt). In refuges, non-resistant strains outcompete resistant ones.[166]

With sufficiently high levels of transgene expression, nearly all of the heterozygotes (S/s), i.e., the largest segment of the pest population carrying a resistance allele, will be killed before maturation, thus preventing transmission of the resistance gene to their progeny.[167] Refuges (i. e., fields of nontransgenic plants) adjacent to transgenic fields increases the likelihood that homozygous resistant (s/s) individuals and any surviving heterozygotes will mate with susceptible (S/S) individuals from the refuge, instead of with other individuals carrying the resistance allele. As a result, the resistance gene frequency in the population remains lower.

Complicating factors can affect the success of the high-dose/refuge strategy. For example, if the temperature is not ideal, thermal stress can lower Bt toxin production and leave the plant more susceptible. More importantly, reduced late-season expression has been documented, possibly resulting from DNA methylation of the promoter.[168] The success of the high-dose/refuge strategy has successfully maintained the value of Bt crops. This success has depended on factors independent of management strategy, including low initial resistance allele frequencies, fitness costs associated with resistance, and the abundance of non-Bt host plants outside the refuges.[169]

Companies that produce Bt seed are introducing strains with multiple Bt proteins. Monsanto did this with Bt cotton in India, where the product was rapidly adopted.[170] Monsanto has also; in an attempt to simplify the process of implementing refuges in fields to comply with Insect Resistance Management(IRM) policies and prevent irresponsible planting practices; begun marketing seed bags with a set proportion of refuge (non-transgenic) seeds mixed in with the Bt seeds being sold. Coined "Refuge-In-a-Bag" (RIB), this practice is intended to increase farmer compliance with refuge requirements and reduce additional labor needed at planting from having separate Bt and refuge seed bags on hand.[171] This strategy is likely to reduce the likelihood of Bt-resistance occurring for corn rootworm, but may increase the risk of resistance for lepidopteran corn pests, such as European corn borer. Increased concerns for resistance with seed mixtures include partially resistant larvae on a Bt plant being able to move to a susceptible plant to survive or cross pollination of refuge pollen on to Bt plants that can lower the amount of Bt expressed in kernels for ear feeding insects.[172][173]

Herbicide resistance

Best management practices (BMPs) to control weeds may help delay resistance. BMPs include applying multiple herbicides with different modes of action, rotating crops, planting weed-free seed, scouting fields routinely, cleaning equipment to reduce the transmission of weeds to other fields, and maintaining field borders.[152] The most widely planted GMOs are designed to tolerate herbicides. By 2006 some weed populations had evolved to tolerate some of the same herbicides. Palmer amaranth is a weed that competes with cotton. A native of the southwestern US, it traveled east and was first found resistant to glyphosate in 2006, less than 10 years after GM cotton was introduced.[174][175][176]

Plant protection

Farmers generally use less insecticide when they plant Bt-resistant crops. Insecticide use on corn farms declined from 0.21 pound per planted acre in 1995 to 0.02 pound in 2010. This is consistent with the decline in European corn borer populations as a direct result of Bt corn and cotton. The establishment of minimum refuge requirements helped delay the evolution of Bt resistance. However resistance appears to be developing to some Bt traits in some areas.[152]

Tillage

By leaving at least 30% of crop residue on the soil surface from harvest through planting, conservation tillage reduces soil erosion from wind and water, increases water retention, and reduces soil degradation as well as water and chemical runoff. In addition, conservation tillage reduces the carbon footprint of agriculture.[177] A 2014 review covering 12 states from 1996 to 2006, found that a 1% increase in herbicde-tolerant (HT) soybean adoption leads to a 0.21% increase in conservation tillage and a 0.3% decrease in quality-adjusted herbicide use.[177]

Regulation

The regulation of genetic engineering concerns the approaches taken by governments to assess and manage the risks associated with the development and release of genetically modified crops. There are differences in the regulation of GM crops between countries, with some of the most marked differences occurring between the USA and Europe. Regulation varies in a given country depending on the intended use of each product. For example, a crop not intended for food use is generally not reviewed by authorities responsible for food safety.[178][179]

Production

In 2013, GM crops were planted in 27 countries; 19 were developing countries and 8 were developed countries. 2013 was the second year in which developing countries grew a majority (54%) of the total GM harvest. 18 million farmers grew GM crops; around 90% were small-holding farmers in developing countries.[1]

Country 2013– GM planted area (million hectares)[180] Biotech crops
USA 70.1 Maize, Soybean, Cotton, Canola, Sugarbeet, Alfalfa, Papaya, Squash
Brazil 40.3 Soybean, Maize, Cotton
Argentina 24.4 Soybean, Maize, Cotton
India 11.0 Cotton
Canada 10.8 Canola, Maize, Soybean, Sugarbeet
Total 175.2 ----

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) reports every year on the total area of GMO varieties planted in the United States.[181][182] According to National Agricultural Statistics Service, the states published in these tables represent 81–86 percent of all corn planted area, 88–90 percent of all soybean planted area, and 81–93 percent of all upland cotton planted area (depending on the year).

Global estimates are produced by the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA) and can be found in their annual reports, "Global Status of Commercialized Transgenic Crops".[1][183]

Farmers have widely adopted GM technology (see figure). Between 1996 and 2013, the total surface area of land cultivated with GM crops increased by a factor of 100, from 17,000 square kilometers (4,200,000 acres) to 1,750,000 km2 (432 million acres).[1] 10% of the world's arable land was planted with GM crops in 2010.[2] As of 2011, 11 different transgenic crops were grown commercially on 395 million acres (160 million hectares) in 29 countries such as the USA, Brazil, Argentina, India, Canada, China, Paraguay, Pakistan, South Africa, Uruguay, Bolivia, Australia, Philippines, Myanmar, Burkina Faso, Mexico and Spain.[2] One of the key reasons for this widespread adoption is the perceived economic benefit the technology brings to farmers. For example, the system of planting glyphosate-resistant seed and then applying glyphosate once plants emerged provided farmers with the opportunity to dramatically increase the yield from a given plot of land, since this allowed them to plant rows closer together. Without it, farmers had to plant rows far enough apart to control post-emergent weeds with mechanical tillage.[184] Likewise, using Bt seeds means that farmers do not have to purchase insecticides, and then invest time, fuel, and equipment in applying them. However critics have disputed whether yields are higher and whether chemical use is less, with GM crops. See Genetically modified food controversies article for information.

Land area used for genetically modified crops by country (1996–2009), in millions of hectares. In 2011, the land area used was 160 million hectares, or 1.6 million square kilometers.[2]

In the US, by 2014, 94% of the planted area of soybeans, 96% of cotton and 93% of corn were genetically modified varieties.[3][142][143] Genetically modified soybeans carried herbicide-tolerant traits only, but maize and cotton carried both herbicide tolerance and insect protection traits (the latter largely Bt protein).[185] These constitute "input-traits" that are aimed to financially benefit the producers, but may have indirect environmental benefits and cost benefits to consumers. The Grocery Manufacturers of America estimated in 2003 that 70–75% of all processed foods in the U.S. contained a GM ingredient.[186]

Europe grows relatively few genetically engineered crops[187] with the exception of Spain, where one fifth of maize is genetically engineered,[188] and smaller amounts in five other countries.[189] The EU had a 'de facto' ban on the approval of new GM crops, from 1999 until 2004.[190][191] GM crops are now regulated by the EU.[192] In 2015, genetically engineered crops are banned in 38 countries worldwide, 19 of them in Europe.[193][194] Developing countries grew 54 percent of genetically engineered crops in 2013.[1]

In recent years GM crops expanded rapidly in developing countries. In 2013 approximately 18 million farmers grew 54% of worldwide GM crops in developing countries.[1] 2013's largest increase was in Brazil (403,000 km2 versus 368,000 km2 in 2012). GM cotton began growing in India in 2002, reaching 110,000 km2 in 2013.[1]

According to the 2013 ISAAA brief: "...a total of 36 countries (35 + EU-28) have granted regulatory approvals for biotech crops for food and/or feed use and for environmental release or planting since 1994... a total of 2,833 regulatory approvals involving 27 GM crops and 336 GM events (NB: an "event" is a specific genetic modification in a specific species) have been issued by authorities, of which 1,321 are for food use (direct use or processing), 918 for feed use (direct use or processing) and 599 for environmental release or planting. Japan has the largest number (198), followed by the U.S.A. (165, not including "stacked" events), Canada (146), Mexico (131), South Korea (103), Australia (93), New Zealand (83), European Union (71 including approvals that have expired or under renewal process), Philippines (68), Taiwan (65), Colombia (59), China (55) and South Africa (52). Maize has the largest number (130 events in 27 countries), followed by cotton (49 events in 22 countries), potato (31 events in 10 countries), canola (30 events in 12 countries) and soybean (27 events in 26 countries).[1]

Controversy

GM foods are controversial and the subject of protests, vandalism, referenda, legislation, court action[195] and scientific disputes. The controversies involve consumers, biotechnology companies, governmental regulators, non-governmental organizations and scientists. The key areas are whether GM food should be labeled, the role of government regulators, the effect of GM crops on health and the environment, the effects of pesticide use and resistance, the impact on farmers, and their roles in feeding the world and energy production.

There is general scientific agreement that food on the market from genetically modified crops is not inherently riskier to human health than conventional food.[7][9][12] No reports of ill effects have been documented in the human population from GM food.[13][196][197] Although GMO labeling is required in many countries, the United States Food and Drug Administration does not require labeling, nor does it recognize a distinction between approved GMO and non-GMO foods.[198]

Advocacy groups such as Center for Food Safety, Union of Concerned Scientists, Greenpeace and the World Wildlife Fund claim that risks related to GM food have not been adequately examined and managed, that GMOs are not sufficiently tested and should be labelled, and that regulatory authorities and scientific bodies are too closely tied to industry. Some studies have claimed that genetically modified crops can cause harm;[199][200] a 2016 review that reanalyzed the data from six of these studies found that their statistical methodologies were flawed and did not demonstrate harm, and said that conclusions about GMO crop safety should be drawn from "the totality of the evidence... instead of far-fetched evidence from single studies".[201]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 ISAAA 2013 Annual Report Executive Summary, Global Status of Commercialized Biotech/GM Crops: 2013 ISAAA Brief 46-2013, Retrieved 6 August 2014
  2. 1 2 3 4 James, C (2011). "ISAAA Brief 43, Global Status of Commercialized Biotech/GM Crops: 2011". ISAAA Briefs. Ithaca, New York: International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA). Retrieved 2012-06-02.
  3. 1 2 Adoption of Genetically Engineered Crops in the U.S.Economic Research Service, of the U.S. Department of Agriculture
  4. 1 2 3 Klümper, W; Qaim, M (2014). "A Meta-Analysis of the Impacts of Genetically Modified Crops". PLoS ONE 9 (11): e111629. Bibcode:2014PLoSO...9k1629K. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0111629. PMID 25365303.
  5. Andrew Pollack for the New York Times. April 13, 2010 Study Says Overuse Threatens Gains From Modified Crops
  6. FAO, 2004. State of Food and Agriculture 2003–2004. Agricultural Biotechnology: Meeting the Needs of the Poor. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome. "Currently available transgenic crops and foods derived from them have been judged safe to eat and the methods used to test their safety have been deemed appropriate. These conclusions represent the consensus of the scientific evidence surveyed by the ICSU (2003) and they are consistent with the views of the World Health Organization (WHO, 2002). These foods have been assessed for increased risks to human health by several national regulatory authorities (inter alia, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, the United Kingdom and the United States) using their national food safety procedures (ICSU). To date no verifiable untoward toxic or nutritionally deleterious effects resulting from the consumption of foods derived from genetically modified crops have been discovered anywhere in the world (GM Science Review Panel). Many millions of people have consumed foods derived from GM plants - mainly maize, soybean and oilseed rape - without any observed adverse effects (ICSU)."
  7. 1 2 Ronald, Pamela (2011). "Plant Genetics, Sustainable Agriculture and Global Food Security". Genetics 188 (1): 11–20. doi:10.1534/genetics.111.128553. PMC 3120150. PMID 21546547.
  8. Nicolia, A.; et al. (2014). "An overview of the last 10 years of genetically engineered crop safety research". Critical Reviews in Biotechnology 34: 77–88. doi:10.3109/07388551.2013.823595. We have reviewed the scientific literature on GE crop safety for the last 10 years that catches the scientific consensus matured since GE plants became widely cultivated worldwide, and we can conclude that the scientific research conducted so far has not detected any significant hazard directly connected with the use of GM crops.
  9. 1 2 Bett, C.; et al. (2010). "Perspectives of gatekeepers in the Kenyan food industry towards genetically modified food". Food Policy 35: 332–340. doi:10.1016/j.foodpol.2010.01.003. Empirical evidence shows the high potential of the technology, and there is now a scientific consensus that the currently available transgenic crops and the derived foods are safe for consumption (FAO, 2004).
  10. Paarlberg, R.; et al. (2010). "GMO foods and crops: Africa's choice". New Biotechnology 27: 609–613. doi:10.1016/j.nbt.2010.07.005. There is a scientific consensus, even in Europe, that the GMO foods and crops currently on the market have brought no documented new risks either to human health or to the environment.
  11. Amman, K. (2014). "Genomic Misconception: a fresh look at the biosafety of transgenic and conventional crops. A plea for a process agnostic regulation". New Biotechnology 31: 1–17. doi:10.1016/j.nbt.2013.04.008. The broad scientific consensus was clear and compelling: ‘no conceptual distinction exists between genetic modification of plants and microorganisms by classical methods or by molecular methods that modify DNA and transfer genes' . . .
  12. 1 2 American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), Board of Directors (2012). Statement by the AAAS Board of Directors On Labeling of Genetically Modified Foods, and associated Press release: Legally Mandating GM Food Labels Could Mislead and Falsely Alarm Consumers
  13. 1 2 American Medical Association (2012). Report 2 of the Council on Science and Public Health: Labeling of Bioengineered Foods
  14. "Are GM foods safe?". World Health Organisation (WHO). Retrieved January 23, 2016.
  15. A decade of EU-funded GMO research (2001-2010) (PDF). Directorate-General for Research and Innovation. Biotechnologies, Agriculture, Food. European Union. 2010. doi:10.2777/97784. ISBN 978-92-79-16344-9. "The main conclusion to be drawn from the efforts of more than 130 research projects, covering a period of more than 25 years of research, and involving more than 500 independent research groups, is that biotechnology, and in particular GMOs, are not per se more risky than e.g. conventional plant breeding technologies." (p. 16)
  16. Lederberg J, Tatum EL; Tatum (1946). "Gene recombination in E. coli". Nature 158 (4016): 558. Bibcode:1946Natur.158..558L. doi:10.1038/158558a0.
  17. Bock, R. (2010). "The give-and-take of DNA: horizontal gene transfer in plants". Trends in Plant Science 15 (1): 11–22. doi:10.1016/j.tplants.2009.10.001. PMID 19910236.
  18. Morgante, M.; Brunner, S.; Pea, G.; Fengler, K.; Zuccolo, A.; Rafalski, A. (2005). "Gene duplication and exon shuffling by helitron-like transposons generate intraspecies diversity in maize". Nature Genetics 37 (9): 997–1002. doi:10.1038/ng1615. PMID 16056225.
  19. Monroe D. (2006). "Jumping Genes Cross Plant Species Boundaries". PLoS Biology 4 (1): e35. doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.0040035.
  20. Feschotte, C.; Osterlund, M. T.; Peeler, R.; Wessler, S. R. (2005). "DNA-binding specificity of rice mariner-like transposases and interactions with Stowaway MITEs". Nucleic Acids Research 33 (7): 2153–65. doi:10.1093/nar/gki509. PMC 1079968. PMID 15831788.
  21. Cordaux, R.; Udit, S.; Batzer, M.; Feschotte, C. (2006). "Birth of a chimeric primate gene by capture of the transposase gene from a mobile element". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 103 (21): 8101–8106. Bibcode:2006PNAS..103.8101C. doi:10.1073/pnas.0601161103. PMC 1472436. PMID 16672366.
  22. Long, M.; Betrán, E.; Thornton, K.; Wang, W. (2003). "The origin of new genes: glimpses from the young and old". Nature Reviews Genetics 4 (11): 865–875. doi:10.1038/nrg1204. PMID 14634634.
  23. Chen, Z. (2010). "Molecular mechanisms of polyploidy and hybrid vigor". Trends in Plant Science 15 (2): 57–71. doi:10.1016/j.tplants.2009.12.003. PMC 2821985. PMID 20080432.
  24. Hoisington D, Khairallah M, Reeves T, Ribaut JM, Skovmand B, Taba S, Warburton M; Khairallah; Reeves; Ribaut; Skovmand; Taba; Warburton (1999). "Plant genetic resources: What can they contribute toward increased crop productivity?" (PDF). Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 96 (11): 5937–43. Bibcode:1999PNAS...96.5937H. doi:10.1073/pnas.96.11.5937. ISSN 0027-8424. PMC 34209. PMID 10339521.
  25. Predieri, S. (2001). "Mutation induction and tissue culture in improving fruits". Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture 64 (2/3): 185–210. doi:10.1023/A:1010623203554.
  26. Duncan, R. (1996). "Tissue Culture-Induced Variation and Crop Improvement". Advances in Agronomy 58: 201–200. doi:10.1016/S0065-2113(08)60256-4.
  27. Fraley, RT; et al. (1983). "Expression of bacterial genes in plant cells" (PDF). Proc. NatL. Acad. Sci. USA 80: 4803–4807.
  28. 1 2 3 James, Clive (1996). "Global Review of the Field Testing and Commercialization of Transgenic Plants: 1986 to 1995" (PDF). The International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications. Retrieved 17 July 2010.
  29. Vaeck, M; et al. (1987). "Transgenic plants protected from insect attack" (PDF). Nature 328: 33–37. Bibcode:1987Natur.328...33V. doi:10.1038/328033a0.
  30. James, C (1997). "Global Status of Transgenic Crops in 1997" (PDF). ISAAA Briefs No. 5.: 31.
  31. Conner, AJ; Glare, TR; Nap, JP (Jan 2003). "The release of genetically modified crops into the environment. Part II. Overview of ecological risk assessment". Plant J. 33 (1): 19–46. doi:10.1046/j.0960-7412.2002.001607.x. PMID 12943539.
  32. 1 2 Bruening, G.; Lyons, J. M. (2000). "The case of the FLAVR SAVR tomato". California Agriculture 54 (4): 6–7. doi:10.3733/ca.v054n04p6.
  33. 1 2 Debora MacKenzie (18 June 1994). "Transgenic tobacco is European first". New Scientist.
  34. 1 2 Genetically Altered Potato Ok'd For Crops Lawrence Journal-World – 6 May 1995
  35. Andrew Pollack (19 June 2013). "Executive at Monsanto wins global food honor". The New York Times. Retrieved 20 June 2013.
  36. Rebecca Boyle for Popular Science. January 24, 2011. How To Genetically Modify a Seed, Step By Step
  37. "Bombarded - Define Bombarded at Dictionary.com". Dictionary.com.
  38. Shrawat, A.; Lörz, H. (2006). "Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of cereals: a promising approach crossing barriers". Plant biotechnology journal 4 (6): 575–603. doi:10.1111/j.1467-7652.2006.00209.x. PMID 17309731.
  39. Maghari, Behrokh Mohajer, and Ali M. Ardekani. "Genetically Modified Foods And Social Concerns." Avicenna Journal Of Medical Biotechnology 3.3 (2011): 109-117. Academic Search Premier. Web. 7 Nov. 2014.
  40. "Information Systems for Biotechnology News Report".
  41. Catchpole, G. S.; Beckmann, M.; Enot, D. P.; Mondhe, M.; Zywicki, B.; Taylor, J.; Hardy, N.; Smith, A.; King, R. D.; Kell, D. B.; Fiehn, O.; Draper, J. (2005). "Hierarchical metabolomics demonstrates substantial compositional similarity between genetically modified and conventional potato crops". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 102 (40): 14458–14462. Bibcode:2005PNAS..10214458C. doi:10.1073/pnas.0503955102.
  42. Koornneef, M.; Meinke, D. (2010). "The development of Arabidopsis as a model plant". The Plant journal : for cell and molecular biology 61 (6): 909–921. doi:10.1111/j.1365-313X.2009.04086.x. PMID 20409266.
  43. "Expression of an Arabidopsis sodium/proton antiporter gene (AtNHX1) in peanut to improve salt tolerance - Springer". Plant Biotechnology Reports (Link.springer.com) 6: 59–67. 2012-01-01. doi:10.1007/s11816-011-0200-5. Retrieved 2013-12-19.
  44. Robin McKie. "GM corn set to stop man spreading his seed". the Guardian.
  45. Walmsley, A.; Arntzen, C. (2000). "Plants for delivery of edible vaccines". Current Opinion in Biotechnology 11 (2): 126–9. doi:10.1016/S0958-1669(00)00070-7. PMID 10753769.
  46. Nancy Podevina & Patrick du Jardin (2012). "Possible consequences of the overlap between the CaMV 35S promoter regions in plant transformation vectors used and the viral gene VI in transgenic plants". GM Crops & Food: Biotechnology in Agriculture and the Food Chain 3: 296–300. doi:10.4161/gmcr.21406. PMID 22892689.
  47. Maxmen, Amy (2 May 2012) First plant-made drug on the market Nature, Biology & Biotechnology, Industry. Retrieved 26 June 2012
  48. NWT magazine, April 2011
  49. "Molecular Physiology".
  50. Project by Dean Price increasing photosynthesis by 15 to 25%
  51. Additional project by Dean Price; adding of CO²-concentrating cage
  52. "Brocade Desktop: irua".
  53. "Auxin patterns Solanum lycopersicum leaf morphogenesis".
  54. Projects changing respectively plant growth and plant flowers
  55. Project changing number of stomata in plants conducted by Ikuko Hara-Nishimura
  56. (4 May 2013) One Per Cent: Grow your own living lights The New Scientist, Issue 2915, Retrieved 7 May 2013
  57. MacKenzie, Deborah (2 August 2008). "How the humble potato could feed the world" (cover story) New Scientist. No 2667 pp.30–33
  58. Talbot, David (2014-07-19). "Beijing Researchers Use Gene Editing to Create Disease-Resistant Wheat | MIT Technology Review". Technologyreview.com. Retrieved 2014-07-23.
  59. Wang, Yanpeng (2014). "Simultaneous editing of three homoeoalleles in hexaploid bread wheat confers heritable resistance to powdery mildew". Nature Biotechnology 32: 947–951. doi:10.1038/nbt.2969.
  60. Economic Impact of Transgenic Crops in Developing Countries. Agbioworld.org. Retrieved 8 February 2011.
  61. Areal, F. J.; Riesgo, L.; Rodríguez-Cerezo, E. (2012). "Economic and agronomic impact of commercialized GM crops: A meta-analysis". The Journal of Agricultural Science 151: 7–33. doi:10.1017/S0021859612000111.
  62. Finger, Robert; El Benni, Nadja; Kaphengst, Timo; Evans, Clive; Herbert, Sophie; Lehmann, Bernard; Morse, Stephen; Stupak, Nataliya (2011). "A Meta Analysis on Farm-Level Costs and Benefits of GM Crops". Sustainability 3 (12): 743–762. doi:10.3390/su3050743.
  63. Hutchison WD, Burkness EC, Mitchell PD, Moon RD, Leslie TW, Fleischer SJ, Abrahamson M, Hamilton KL, Steffey KL, Gray ME, Hellmich RL, Kaster LV, Hunt TE, Wright RJ, Pecinovsky K, Rabaey TL, Flood BR, Raun ES (October 2010). "Areawide suppression of European corn borer with Bt maize reaps savings to non-Bt maize growers". Science 330 (6001): 222–5. Bibcode:2010Sci...330..222H. doi:10.1126/science.1190242. PMID 20929774.
  64. Karnowski, Steve High-Tech Corn Fights Pests at Home and Nearby Sci-Tech today, 8 October 2010. Retrieved 9 October 2010.
  65. Falck-Zepeda, José Benjamin; Traxler, Greg; Nelson, Robert G. (2000). "Surplus Distribution from the Introduction of a Biotechnology Innovation". American Journal of Agricultural Economics 82 (2): 360–9. doi:10.1111/0002-9092.00031. JSTOR 1244657.
  66. 1 2 James, C. 2014 Global Status of Commercialized Biotech/GM Crops: 2014 ISAAA Brief No. 49.
  67. Brookes, Graham and Barfoot, Peter (May 2012) GM crops: global socio-economic and environmental impacts 1996-2010 PG Economics Ltd. UK, Retrieved 3 January 2012
  68. Smale, M., P. Zambrano, and M. Cartel (2006). "Bales and balance: A review of the methods used to assess the economic impact of Bt cotton on farmers in developing economies" (PDF). AgBioForum 9 (3): 195–212.
  69. Lynas, Mark (4 November 2010). "What the Green Movement Got Wrong: A turncoat explains". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
  70. Planting the future: opportunities and challenges for using crop genetic improvement technologies for sustainable agriculture, EASAC policy report 21, 27.06.13.
  71. 1 2 Rajib Deb, et al. "Genetically Modified (Gm) Crops Lifeline For Livestock – A Review." Agricultural Reviews 31.4 (2010): 279–285.
  72. Robert Langreth and Matthew Herper for Forbes. December 31, 2009 The Planet Versus Monsanto
  73. Cavallaro, Matt (June 26, 2009). "The Seeds Of A Monsanto Short Play". Forbes.
  74. Regalado, Antonio (July 30, 2015). "Monsanto Roundup Ready Soybean Patent Expiration Ushers in Generic GMOs | MIT Technology Review". MIT Technology Review. Retrieved 2015-10-22.
  75. "Monsanto Will Let Bio-Crop Patents Expire". Business Week. January 21, 2010.
  76. Monsanto. Roundup Ready Soybean Patent Expiration
  77. "Monsanto ~ Licensing". Monsanto.com. November 3, 2008.
  78. Monsanto GMO Ignites Big Seed War. NPR.
  79. "Syngenta US | Corn and Soybean Seed – Garst, Golden Harvest, NK, Agrisure". Syngenta.com.
  80. "Agronomy Library – Pioneer Hi-Bred Agronomy Library". Pioneer.com.
  81. 1 2 3 "Genetically modified crops - Field research". Economist. Nov 8, 2014. Retrieved November 2014.
  82. "SeedQuest - Central information website for the global seed industry".
  83. ISAAA Pocket K No. 35: Bt Brinjal in India
  84. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Andrew Pollack for the New York Times. 7 Nov 2014. U.S.D.A. Approves Modified Potato. Next Up: French Fry Fans
  85. 1 2 3 Federal Register. May 3, 2013. J.R. Simplot Co.; Availability of Petition for Determination of Nonregulated Status of Potato Genetically Engineered for Low Acrylamide Potential and Reduced Black Spot Bruise
  86. 1 2 3 Pollack, A. "Gene-Altered Apples Get U.S. Approval" New York Times. Feb 13, 2015.
  87. Tennille, Tracy (Feb 13, 2015). "First Genetically Modified Apple Approved for Sale in U.S.". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved Feb 2015.
  88. 1 2 3 "Apple-to-apple transformation". Okanagan Specialty Fruits. Retrieved 2012-08-03.
  89. "Artic apples FAQ". Arctic Apples. 2014. Retrieved February 2015.
  90. "FDA concludes Arctic Apples and Innate Potatoes are safe for consumption". United States Food and Drug Administration. 20 March 2015.
  91. Canadian Food Inspection Agency. DD2009-76: Determination of the Safety of Pioneer Hi-Bred Production Ltd.'s Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) Event 305423 Issued: 2009-04 . Retrieved January 2011
  92. Andrew Pollack for the New York Times. November 15, 2013 In a Bean, a Boon to Biotech
  93. Crop plants – "green factories" for fish oils, Rothamsted Research 14-11-2013.
  94. Successful high-level accumulation of fish oil omega-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in a transgenic oilseed crop, Ruiz-Lopez, Noemi et al., The Plant Journal, accepted article, doi:10.1111/tpj.12378, 2013.
  95. About Golden Rice International Rice Research Institute. Retrieved 20 August 2012
  96. Nayar, A. (2011). "Grants aim to fight malnutrition". Nature. doi:10.1038/news.2011.233.
  97. "Transgenic multivitamin corn through biofortification of endosperm with three vitamins representing three distinct metabolic pathways".
  98. BROWNSTONE, SYDNEY (June 30, 2014). "Humans Are About To Taste The First Genetically Engineered "Super" Bananas". Co.exist. Retrieved November 2014.
  99. Sayre, R.; Beeching, J. R.; Cahoon, E. B.; Egesi, C.; Fauquet, C.; Fellman, J.; Fregene, M.; Gruissem, W.; Mallowa, S.; Manary, M.; Maziya-Dixon, B.; Mbanaso, A.; Schachtman, D. P.; Siritunga, D.; Taylor, N.; Vanderschuren, H.; Zhang, P. (2011). "The BioCassava Plus Program: Biofortification of Cassava for Sub-Saharan Africa". Annual Review of Plant Biology 62: 251–272. doi:10.1146/annurev-arplant-042110-103751. PMID 21526968.
  100. Paarlburg, Robert Drought Tolerant GMO Maize in Africa, Anticipating Regulatory Hurdles International Life Sciences Institute, January 2011. Retrieved 25 April 2011
  101. Australia continues to test drought-resistant GM wheat GMO Compass, 16 July 2008. Retrieved 25 April 2011
  102. Staff (14 May 2011) USA: USDA allows large-scale GM eucalyptus trial GMO Cmpass. Retrieved 29 September 2011
  103. Lundmark, C. (2006). "Searching Evolutionary Pathways: Antifreeze Genes from Antarctic Hairgrass". BioScience 56 (6): 552. doi:10.1641/0006-3568(2006)56[552:SEP]2.0.CO;2. ISSN 0006-3568.
  104. Banjara, Manoj; Longfu Zhu; Guoxin Shen; Paxton Payton; Hong Zhang (2012). "Expression of an Arabidopsis sodium/proton antiporter gene ( AtNHX1 ) in peanut to improve salt tolerance". Plant Biotechnol Rep 6: 59–67. doi:10.1007/s11816-011-0200-5.
  105. Sara Abdulla (27 May 1999). "Drought stress". Nature News. doi:10.1038/news990527-9 (inactive 2015-02-01).
  106. Rennie, Rob and Heffer, Patrick Anticipated Impact of Modern Biotechnology on Nutrient Use Efficiency TFI/FIRT Fertilizer Outlook and Technology Conference 16–18 November 2010, Savannah (GA), Web page. Retrieved 25 April 2011
  107. Michael Eisenstein Plant breeding: Discovery in a dry spell Nature 501, S7–S9 (26 September 2013) Published online 25 September 2013
  108. 1 2 Carpenter J. & Gianessi L. (1999). Herbicide tolerant soybeans: Why growers are adopting Roundup Ready varieties. AgBioForum, 2(2), 65-72.
  109. G. R. Heck; et al. (1 January 2005). "Development and Characterization of a CP4 EPSPS-Based, Glyphosate-Tolerant Corn Event" (Free full text). Crop Sci. 45 (1): 329–339. doi:10.2135/cropsci2005.0329.
  110. T. Funke; et al. (2006). "Molecular basis for the herbicide resistance of Roundup Ready crops" (Free full text). PNAS 103 (35): 13010–13015. Bibcode:2006PNAS..10313010F. doi:10.1073/pnas.0603638103. PMC 1559744. PMID 16916934.
  111. L. P. Gianessi, C. S. Silvers, S. Sankula and J. E. Carpenter. Plant Biotechnology: Current and Potential Impact for Improving Pest management in US Agriculture, An Analysis of 40 Case Studies (Washington, D.C.: National Center for Food and Agricultural Policy, 2002), 5–6
  112. Kasey J. (8 September 2011)Attack of the Superweed. Bloomberg Businessweek.
  113. Mark Ganchiff for Midwest Wine Press. August 24, 2013 New Herbicide Resistant Crops Being Considered By USDA
  114. 1 2 ISAAA GM Approval Database Gene list: aad1. Page accessed February 27, 2015
  115. EPA Press Release. October 15, 2014 EPA Announces Final Decision to Register Enlist Duo, Herbicide Containing 2, 4-D and Glyphosate/Risk assessment ensures protection of human health, including infants, children EPA Documents: Registration of Enlist Duo
  116. Mark A. Peterson et al. for ISB News Report, May 2011 Utility of Aryloxyalkanoate Dioxygenase Transgenes for Development of New Herbicide Resistant Crop Technologies
  117. Colin Schultz for The Smithsonian.com. September 25, 2014 The USDA Approved a New GM Crop to Deal With Problems Created by the Old GM Crops
  118. Johnson, William G.; Hallett, Steven G.; Legleiter, Travis R.; Whitford, Fred; Weller, Stephen C.; Bordelon, Bruce P.; Lerner, B. Rosie (November 2012). "2,4-D- and Dicamba-tolerant Crops—Some Facts to Consider" (PDF). Purdue University Extension. Retrieved December 2014.
  119. Vaeck, M.; Reynaerts, A.; Höfte, H.; Jansens, S.; De Beuckeleer, M.; Dean, C.; Zabeau, M.; Montagu, M. V.; Leemans, J. (1987). "Transgenic plants protected from insect attack". Nature 328 (6125): 33–37. Bibcode:1987Natur.328...33V. doi:10.1038/328033a0.
  120. National Academy of Sciences (2001). Transgenic Plants and World Agriculture. Washington: National Academy Press.
  121. Naranjo, Steven (April 22, 2008). "The Present and Future Role of Insect-Resistant Genetically Modified Cotton in IPM" (PDF). USDA.gov. United States department of agriculture. Retrieved December 3, 2015.
  122. Erica Kipp for the Botany Global Issues Map. February, 2000. Genetically Altered Papayas Save the Harvest Archive date December 13, 2004.
  123. "The Rainbow Papaya Story". Hawaii Papaya Industry Association. 2006. Retrieved 2014-12-27.
  124. Ronald, Pamela and McWilliams, James for the New York Times, 14 May 2010. Genetically Engineered Distortions
  125. Wenslaff, Timothy F.; Osgood, Robert V. (October 2000). "Production Of UH Sunup Transgenic Papaya Seed In Hawaii" (PDF). Hawaii Agriculture Research Center.
  126. "Genetically Engineered Foods - Plant Virus Resistance" (PDF). Cornell Cooperative Extension. Cornell University. 2002. Retrieved February 2015.
  127. "How Many Foods Are Genetically Engineered?". University of California. 2012-02-16. Retrieved February 2015.
  128. Wang, Guo-ying (2009). "Genetic Engineering for Maize Improvement in China". Electronic Journal of Biotechnology. Electronic Journal of Biotechnology. Retrieved December 1, 2015.
  129. Gali Weinreb and Koby Yeshayahou for Globes May 2, 2012. FDA approves Protalix Gaucher treatment
  130. Jha, Alok (14 August 2012) Julian Ma: I'm growing antibodies in tobacco plants to help prevent HIV The Guardian. Retrieved 12 March 2012
  131. Carrington, Damien (19 January 2012) GM microbe breakthrough paves way for large-scale seaweed farming for biofuels The Guardian. Retrieved 12 March 2012
  132. Carolyn Lochhead for the San Francisco Chronicle. 30 April 2012 Genetically modified crops' results raise concern
  133. Hope, Alan (3 April 2013, News in brief: The Bio Safety Council..." Flanders Today, Page 2, Retrieved 27 April 2013
  134. (2013) Wout Boerjan Lab VIB (Flemish Institute for Biotechnology) Gent, Retrieved 27 April 2013
  135. van Beilen, Jan B.; Yves Poirier (May 2008). "Harnessing plant biomass for biofuels and biomaterials:Production of renewable polymers from crop plants". The Plant Journal 54 (4): 684–701. doi:10.1111/j.1365-313X.2008.03431.x. PMID 18476872.
  136. 1 2 "The History and Future of GM Potatoes". PotatoPro Newsletter. March 10, 2010.
  137. Strange, Amy (20 September 2011) Scientists engineer plants to eat toxic pollution The Irish Times. Retrieved 20 September 2011
  138. 1 2 Chard, Abigail (2011) Growing a grass that loves bombs The British Science Association. Retrieved 20 September 2011 Archived 24 July 2012 at the Wayback Machine.
  139. Meagher, RB (2000). "Phytoremediation of toxic elemental and organic pollutants". Current Opinion in Plant Biology 3 (2): 153–162. doi:10.1016/S1369-5266(99)00054-0. PMID 10712958.
  140. Martins VAP (2008). "Genomic Insights into Oil Biodegradation in Marine Systems". Microbial Biodegradation: Genomics and Molecular Biology. Caister Academic Press. ISBN 978-1-904455-17-2.
  141. Daniel Charles (1 March 2003). "Corn That Clones Itself". Technology Review.
  142. 1 2 Acreage NASS National Agricultural Statistics Board annual report, 30 June 2010. Retrieved 23 July 2010.
  143. 1 2 USA:Cultivation of GM Plants in 2009, Maize, soybean, cotton: 88 percent genetically modified GMO Compass. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
  144. Field areas 2009, Genetically modified plants: Global cultivation on 134 million hectares GMO Compass. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
  145. Ronald, Pamela and McWilliams, James Genetically Engineered Distortions The New York Times, 14 May 2010, Mentions that "in the early 1990s, Hawaii’s papaya industry was facing disaster because of the deadly papaya ringspot virus. Its single-handed savior was a breed engineered to be resistant to the virus. Without it, the state’s papaya industry would have collapsed. Today, 80 percent of Hawaiian papaya is genetically engineered, and there is still no conventional or organic method to control ringspot virus." Retrieved 26 July 2010.
  146. Wright, Brierley How Healthy Is Canola Oil Really? "Eating Well", March/April 2010 edition, Mentions 93% of rapeseed in the US is GM. Retrieved 26 July 2010.
  147. 1 2 3 Johnson, Stanley R. et al Quantification of the Impacts on US Agriculture of Biotechnology-Derived Crops Planted in 2006 National Center for Food and Agricultural Policy, Washington DC, February 2008. Retrieved 12 August 2010.
  148. Rapeseed (canola) has been genetically engineered to modify its oil content with a gene encoding a "12:0 thioesterase" (TE) enzyme from the California bay plant (Umbellularia californica) to increase medium length fatty acids, see: Geo-pie.cornell.edu
  149. 1 2 Pocket K No. 2: Plant Products of Biotechnology ISAAA, August 2009. Retrieved 8 September 2012.
  150. Pollack, Andrew (11 February 2011). U.S. Approves Corn Modified for Ethanol, New York Times
  151. at National Corn Growers Association website As of September 2012 that site 13 traits covered nearly 30 different products.
  152. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Fernandez-Cornejo, Jorge; Wechsler, Seth; Livingston, Mike; Mitchell, Lorraine (February 2014). "Genetically Engineered Crops in the United States (summary)" (PDF). Economic Research Service USDA. United States Department of Agriculture. p. 2. Retrieved December 2014.
  153. LYNAS, MARK (April 24, 2015). "How I Got Converted to G.M.O. Food". New York Times. Retrieved April 2015.
  154. Richard M. Manshardt ‘UH Rainbow’ Papaya: A High-Quality Hybrid with Genetically Engineered Disease Resistance. Cooperative Extension Service/CTAHR, University of Hawaii at Manoa.
  155. Staff, CERA. NewLeaf Entry in CERA
  156. James Kanter for the New York Times. January 16, 2012. BASF to Stop Selling Genetically Modified Products in Europe
  157. International Rice Research Institute website: About Golden Rice
  158. (2014) The Science of Golden Rice The Golden Rice Project, Retrieved 15 March 2014
  159. Spady, Tyrone (January/February 2014) Pope Blesses Golden Rice ASBP News, Volume 41, Number 1, Page 11, Retrieved 2 March 2014
  160. Melody M. Bomgardner (2012) Replacing Trans Fat: New crops from Dow Chemical and DuPont target food makers looking for stable, heart-healthy oils. Chemical and Engineering News 90(11):30–32
  161. APHIS Deregulation documents
  162. "ZW20 - global gm crop database regulatory approvals cera agbios".
  163. Lee SL et al (2012) Pollen allergic risk assessment of genetically modified virus resistant pepper and functional Chinese cabbage" Horticulture, Environment, and Biotechnology 53(2): 167–174, DOI: 10.1007/s13580-012-0092-5
  164. Paroda, Raj (Secretary) Biosafety Regulations of Asia-Pacific Countries FAO, APCoAB, APAARI, 2008. Retrieved 2 September 2012.
  165. U.S. Food and Drug Administration Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, Biotechnology of Food. FDA Backgrounder: May 18, 1994.
  166. Insect Resistance to Transgenic Bt Crops: Lessons from the Laboratory and Field, Tabashnik et al. J. Econ. Entomol. 96(4): 1031Ð1038 (2003)
  167. Roush RT (1997). "Bt-transgenic crops: just another pretty insecticide or a chance for a new start in the resistance management?". Pestic. Sci. 51 (3): 328–34. doi:10.1002/(SICI)1096-9063(199711)51:3<328::AID-PS650>3.0.CO;2-B.
  168. Dong, H. Z.; Li, W. J. (2007). "Variability of Endotoxin Expression in Bt Transgenic Cotton". Journal of Agronomy & Crop Science 193: 21–9. doi:10.1111/j.1439-037X.2006.00240.x.
  169. Tabashnik BE, Carrière Y, Dennehy TJ; Carrière; Dennehy; Morin; Sisterson; Roush; Shelton; Zhao (August 2003). "Insect resistance to transgenic Bt crops: lessons from the laboratory and field". J. Econ. Entomol. 96 (4): 1031–8. doi:10.1603/0022-0493-96.4.1031. PMID 14503572.
  170. APPDMZ\ccvivr. "Monsanto - Pink Bollworm Resistance to GM Cotton in India". horizontal tab character in |title= at position 13 (help)
  171. "The Real Deal: Explaining Monsanto's Refuge-in-the-Bag Concept". www.monsanto.com. Retrieved 2015-12-03.
  172. Siegfried, B.D.; et al. (2012). "Understanding successful resistance management". GM Crops & Food 3 (3): 184–193. doi:10.4161/gmcr.20715.
  173. Devos, Y.; et al. (2013). "Resistance evolution to the first generation of genetically modified Diabrotica-active Bt-maize events by western corn rootworm: management and monitoring considerations". Transgenic Research 22: 269–299. doi:10.1007/s11248-012-9657-4. PMID 23011587.
  174. Culpepper, Stanley A; et al. (2006). "Glyphosate-resistant Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri ) confirmed in Georgia.". Weed Science 54 (4): 620–626. doi:10.1614/ws-06-001r.1. hair space character in |title= at position 57 (help)
  175. Gallant, Andre. "Pigweed in the Cotton: A superweed invades Georgia". Modern Farmer.
  176. Webster, TM; Grey, TL (2015). "Glyphosate-Resistant Palmer Amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri) Morphology, Growth, and Seed Production in Georgia.". Weed Science 63 (1): 264–272. doi:10.1614/ws-d-14-00051.1.
  177. 1 2 Fernandez-Cornejo, Jorge; Hallahan,, Charlie; Nehring,, Richard; Wechsler, Seth; Grube, Arthur (2014). "Conservation Tillage, Herbicide Use, and Genetically Engineered Crops in the United States: The Case of Soybeans". AgBioForum 15 (3). Retrieved December 2014.
  178. Wesseler, J. and N. Kalaitzandonakes (2011): Present and Future EU GMO policy. In Arie Oskam, Gerrit Meesters and Huib Silvis (eds.), EU Policy for Agriculture, Food and Rural Areas. Second Edition, pp. 23-323 – 23-332. Wageningen: Wageningen Academic Publishers
  179. Beckmann, V., C. Soregaroli, J. Wesseler (2011): Coexistence of genetically modified (GM) and non-modified (non GM) crops: Are the two main property rights regimes equivalent with respect to the coexistence value? In "Genetically modified food and global welfare" edited by Colin Carter, GianCarlo Moschini and Ian Sheldon, pp 201-224. Volume 10 in Frontiers of Economics and Globalization Series. Bingley, UK: Emerald Group Publishing
  180. ISAAA 2012 Annual Report Executive Summary
  181. Fernandez-Cornejo, Jorge (1 July 2009). Adoption of Genetically Engineered Crops in the U.S. Data Sets. Economic Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture. OCLC 53942168. Archived from the original on 24 September 2009. Retrieved 24 September 2009.
  182. (14 July 2014) Adoption of Genetically Engineered Crops in the U.S. USDA, Economic Research Service, Retrieved 6 August 2014
  183. James, Clive (2007). "Executive Summary". G lobal Status of Commercialized Biotech/GM Crops: 2007. ISAAA Briefs 37. The International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA). ISBN 978-1-892456-42-7. OCLC 262649526. Archived from the original on 24 September 2009. Retrieved 24 September 2009.
  184. "Roundup Ready soybean trait patent nears expiration in 2014". Hpj.com. Retrieved 2013-12-19.
  185. Fernandez-Cornejo, Jorge (5 July 2012) Adoption of Genetically Engineered Crops in the U.S. – Recent Trends USDA Economic Research Service. Retrieved 29 September 2012
  186. Linda Bren. "Genetic Engineering: The Future of Foods?".
  187. Lemaux, Peggy (19 February 2008). "Genetically Engineered Plants and Foods: A Scientist's Analysis of the Issues (Part I)". Annual Review of Plant Biology 59: 771–812. doi:10.1146/annurev.arplant.58.032806.103840. PMID 18284373. Retrieved 9 May 2009.
  188. Spain, Bt maize prevails GMO Compass, 31 March 2010. Retrieved 10 August 2010.
  189. GM plants in the EU in 2009 Field area for Bt maize decreases GMO Compass, 29 March 2010. Retrieved 10 August 2010.
  190. "EU GMO ban was illegal, WTO rules". Euractiv.com. 12 May 2006. Retrieved 5 January 2010.
  191. "GMO Update: US-EU Biotech Dispute; EU Regulations; Thailand". International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development. Retrieved 5 January 2010.
  192. "Genetically Modified Food and Feed". Retrieved 5 January 2010.
  193. http://sustainablepulse.com/2015/10/22/gm-crops-now-banned-in-36-countries-worldwide-sustainable-pulse-research/#.Vqkjw098Nbp
  194. http://sustainablepulse.com/2015/10/04/gm-crop-bans-confirmed-in-19-eu-countries/#.Vqkkjk98Nbp
  195. Paull, John (2015) The threat of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) to organic agriculture: A case study update, Agriculture & Food, 3: 56-63.
  196. United States Institute of Medicine and National Research Council (2004). Safety of Genetically Engineered Foods: Approaches to Assessing Unintended Health Effects. National Academies Press. Free full-text. National Academies Press. See pp11ff on need for better standards and tools to evaluate GM food.
  197. Key S, Ma JK, Drake PM; Ma; Drake (June 2008). "Genetically modified plants and human health". J R Soc Med 101 (6): 290–8. doi:10.1258/jrsm.2008.070372. PMC 2408621. PMID 18515776.
  198. Andrew Pollack for the New York Times. "An Entrepreneur Bankrolls a Genetically Engineered Salmon" Published: May 21, 2012. Accessed September 3, 2012
  199. Domingo, José L.; Bordonaba, Jordi Giné (2011). "A literature review on the safety assessment of genetically modified plants" (PDF). Environment International 37: 734–742. doi:10.1016/j.envint.2011.01.003.
  200. Krimsky, Sheldon (2015). "An Illusory Consensus behind GMO Health Assessment" (PDF). Science, Technology, & Human Values 40: 1–32. doi:10.1177/0162243915598381.
  201. Panchin, Alexander Y.; Tuzhikov, Alexander I. (2016). "Published GMO studies find no evidence of harm when corrected for multiple comparisons". Critical Reviews in Biotechnology: 1–5. doi:10.3109/07388551.2015.1130684. PMID 26767435.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Genetically modified plants.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Tuesday, May 03, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.