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GM crop data—agronomy and ecology in tandem

Nature Biotechnology volume 19, page 3 (2001)Cite this article

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At a recent international gathering of biosafety researchers1, a European scientist overheard our American dialects and commented dryly, “I didn't think you Yanks cared about this sort of thing [biosafety].” There is, unfortunately, a grain of truth in that statement. However, we do care. And we argue here that biosafety data could be gathered efficiently if US researchers would collect ecological data during large-scale trials and commercial uses of GM crops.

There is no evidence that the current products of GM crops produced in the United States are harmful to the environment or human health; an estimated 3.5 trillion GM plants grown in the United States since 1994 have had no measurable ill effects2. However, ecological interactions are complex, and the next generation of GM crops will have agronomic and output traits that are not as well understood as, say, those of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt)-derived GM products. For example, they will have multiple qualities enabling the plants to better cope with diseases, drought, toxic metals, as well as insects. Insect resistance genes will have a broader spectrum. Furthermore, the various enhanced traits may interact with one another to yield another layer of ecological complexity. To enhance our understanding of a particular GM crop/system in relevant ecological settings, we need risk assessment data from solidly designed ecological experiments. The data from such experiments are needed not only to satisfy regulatory requirements, but also to show what parameters need to be followed in post-commercialization monitoring.

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References

  1. The National Research Council workshop. Ecological monitoring of transgenic crops. July 13–14, 2000 (Washington, DC).

  2. Stewart, C.N. Jr., Richards, H.A. & Halfhill, M.D. BioTechniques 29, 832–843 (2000).

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Acknowledgements

Thanks for helpful comments and discussions with Fred Gould, Tom Nickson, Allison Snow, and especially Jeremy Sweet.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. the Department of Biology, University of North Carolina-Greensboro, Greensboro, 27402, NC

    C. Neal Stewart Jr.

  2. Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island, South Ferry Road, Narragansett, 02882, RI

    Sarah K. Wheaton

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  1. C. Neal Stewart Jr.
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  2. Sarah K. Wheaton
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Stewart, C., Wheaton, S. GM crop data—agronomy and ecology in tandem. Nat Biotechnol 19, 3 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1038/83479

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