A new European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) report on genetically engineered maize MON810 has for the first time officially confirmed the occurrence of teosinte in fields where MON810 is grown. In the EU, teosinte is considered to be a dangerous weed that can crossbreed with maize and result in significant yield losses. If teosinte crosses with MON810, the hybrid plants could spread more easily in the environment.
MON810 is the only genetically engineered (GMO) plant approved for cultivation in the EU. It is cultivated almost exclusively in Spain. MON810 produces the insecticide Cry1Ab, which is used to combat the European corn borer (Ostrinia nubilalis) and the Mediterranean corn borer (Sesamia nonagrioides).
However, even though it is more than 25 years since MON810 was first approved, the environmental consequences of cultivating these plants have still not been sufficiently investigated. The current EFSA report on so-called “Post Market Environmental Monitoring” (PMEM) provides the following details:
- The risk of GMO maize crossing with the invasive wild maize species teosinte has been significantly underestimated for years. Even before teosinte was found in fields with MON810, Spanish scientists had shown that hybrids between the genetically engineered maize and the weed teosinte is more likely than previously assumed. In addition, according to these studies, the plants resulting from this crossbreeding have fitness advantages and could therefore spread more easily in the environment.
- The protection of endangered butterfly species (or other insect species) is not guaranteed, as there is neither sufficient data on their occurrence in the cultivation regions nor are there distance regulations for protected areas.
- Although there have been signs for several years that the Mediterranean corn borer is becoming resistant to the insecticide produced in MON810, it has not been possible to determine the exact status of resistance development due to inadequate data collection and laboratory testing.
The Bayer corporation, which markets MON810, has for years ignored EFSA warnings that it needs to improve data collection in order to ensure environmental protection. The EU cultivation authorisation issued for MON810 expired in 2008, but cultivation has continued without renewed authorisation, thus placing it in a legal grey area. Just recently, a publication revealed previously overlooked risks to ladybirds from MON810s.
According to Testbiotech’s assessment, the current EFSA report shows that the cultivation of MON810 cannot be justified under these conditions. The EU Commission should therefore ban its cultivation.
Contact:
Christoph Then, info@testbiotech.org, Tel + 49 151 54638040
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