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Transgene introgression from genetically modified crops to their wild relatives

Nature Reviews Genetics volume 4, page 844 (2003)Cite this article

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Norman C. Ellstrand's disagreement with aspects of our review1 reflects genuine differences of opinion among scientists in the field of biosafety. The disparity in these views is exemplified in a recent review2 of Ellstrand's book3, in which Ellstrand's “state of the world” is summarized as one in which “gene flow and genetic pollution are everywhere, varying only by degree and crop alleles are ubiquitous, infiltrating native ecosystems with unknown consequences”, whereas other researchers view potential introgression problems as being more limited in extent, and geographically restricted to a smaller set of crops and locales. With experts in the field at loggerheads, it is not difficult to understand why the general populace and politicians are confused about agricultural biotechnology and the cultivation of transgenic plants. A book designed to illustrate this dilemma and aimed squarely at these confused parties is currently in production (a gratuitous advertisement)4.

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References

  1. Stewart, C.N. Jr, Halfhill, M.D. & Warwick, S.I. Transgene introgression from genetically modified crops to their wild relatives. Nature Rev. Genet. 4, 806–817 (2003).

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, 37996, Tennessee, USA

    C. Neal Stewart Jr & Matthew D. Halfhill

  2. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Eastern Cereal and Oilseeds Research Centre, K.W. Neatby Bldg, C.E.F., Ottawa, K1A OC6, Ontario, Canada

    Suzanne I. Warwick

Authors
  1. C. Neal Stewart Jr
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  2. Matthew D. Halfhill
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  3. Suzanne I. Warwick
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to C. Neal Stewart Jr.

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Stewart Jr, C., Halfhill, M. & Warwick, S. Transgene introgression from genetically modified crops to their wild relatives. Nat Rev Genet 4, 844 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrg1179-c2

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