A recent publication by Chinese researchers demonstrates that new genetic engineering (or new genomic techniques, NGTs) can be used to change the architecture of flowers and enable robotic pollination. This is just one example of more than 100 NGT applications in plants aiming to manipulate flowering. Testbiotech is releasing a new backgrounder today providing an overview of current developments and explaining the associated risks.
The NGT applications focus on traits associated with the very essence of plant reproduction, such as flower morphology and flowering timing. Species or genera that have been targeted in this respect include alfalfa/lucerne, alpine rockcress, thale cress, aspen, false brome, camelina, wall bellflower, oilseed rape, rice, green millet and sorghum, all of which are able to outcross and spread in the environment such as to other fields.
Risks associated with manipulated flowering can affect several levels of the ecosystem, and may even endanger it as a whole, as it may cause the disruption of synchronic interactions within and between species. Mismatches between pollinators and plant flowering may obstruct plant reproduction and endanger beneficial and/or protected insects. Moreover, changes in the architecture of flowers may enhance gene flow to natural populations. This can result in the weakening of some natural species, but others could become noxious weeds. Furthermore, hybridisation between NGT plants, or with wild plants, may result in new undesirable and unpredictable characteristics.
As the new backgrounder shows, NGT plants with manipulated flowering could present a serious risk to biodiversity and species conservation if released into the environment without adequate risk assessment and/or sufficient control. Further hazards include food security due to contamination.
Changes in flowering have also been developed with applications of conventional breeding methods. However, NGTs can go far beyond anything that might be achieved through conventional breeding. For example, small changes in regulatory DNA elements can result in distinct gene variants that are virtually impossible to achieve with conventional methods. ‘Robo flowers’ are just one example.
The NGT interventions often are powered by artificial intelligence, which will hugely accelerate NGT developments in the very near future. Moreover, the range of affected species is continually expanding and now includes plants that have so far not been used, or were inaccessible for breeding purposes, in particular wild plant species.
Nevertheless, the EU plans to classify most of these NGT plants (including the ‘robo flowers’) as equivalent to plants obtained from conventional breeding. Therefore, the proposed future regulation is not adequate for the safe handling of NGT plants. Concerningly, it would also allow large scale releases of NGT plants that are completely new to the environment without environmental risk assessment.
Companies, such as Monsanto/Bayer, have already filed patents on NGT plants with manipulated flowering. Driven by the interest in profits, the companies will try to bring these plants to market as soon as possible. This will further increase the pace and scale of releases as well as pressure on ecosystems.
Testbiotech demands the current proposal of the EU is rejected. If NGT plants are found to inherit genotypes that were previously unknown and are unlikely to be achievable through previous breeding methods, this must be defined as a trigger for in-depth environmental risk assessment.
Contact:
Christoph Then, info@testbiotech.org, Tel + 49 151 54638040
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