American research has shown that genetically modified canola plants grow outside of defined cultivation areas and that the plant’s modified genetic traits persist in wild.

However, experts note that this is not new and that GM plants have been well documented in the wild previously.

The study, published today by the online journal PLoS ONE, reports that genetically engineered canola endowed with herbicide resistance have been found growing outside of established cultivation regions along roadsides across North Dakota. These “escaped” plants were found state-wide and accounted for 80% of the total roadside canola plants sampled.

GM crops – canola or otherwise – are not commercially grown in New Zealand, but are the subject of scientific trials. Australia has established commercial GM canola crops.

You can read the full open access article here.

The authors also found that the escaped plants could hybridize with each other to create novel combinations of transgenic traits.

The authors argue that their result, more than 10 years after the initial release of genetically engineered canola, “raises questions of whether adequate oversight and monitoring protocols are in place in the U.S. to track the environmental impact of biotech products.”

However, they also note that biotechnology can provide important tools to feed the rapidly growing population. “We must safely engage all tools available to us to advance food, fuel and fiber alternatives as modern agriculture rises to the challenges of the next decade,” they conclude.

Below is expert commentary collected by our friends at the Australian Science Media Centre. If you would like to speak to a NZ expert please don’t hesitate to contact the NZ SMC (04 499 5476; smc@sciencemediacentre.co.nz)

Professor Peter Langridge is CEO of the Australian Centre for Plant Functional Genomics (ACPFG) at the University of Adelaide, comments: 

“There is no great surprise from this study. Canola is known to establish along roadsides in many parts of the world and the GM canola is no different from normal canola in this respect.

“Generally crops are not invasive and rarely become weeds because they have been bred and selected to grow in highly managed farm environments. Many key traits needed for wild plants, and particularly weeds, have been largely removed from our crops – such as seed dormancy and shattering (seed dispersal). This limits the likelihood of crop species becoming weeds in natural ecosystems.

“However, roadsides provide a special environment where crop species often flourish due to the extra water from runoff from the roads and regular mowing. This is why we often see wheat, barley and canola growing alongside roads.

“It was always expected that the GM canola would behave in the same way and, as the area sown to GM canola grew, the incidence of roadside populations would expand. This does not present an environmental or safety problem for the community.

“The GM canola has been rigorous evaluated and presents no health issues and the roadside populations are essentially the same as the non-GM roadside populations. However, councils that use herbicides to control weeds along roads, will need to ensure they use the appropriate herbicides to also control the GM canola.”

Professor Rick Roush is Dean of the Melbourne School of Land and Environment at the University of Melbourne comments: 

“This paper is unremarkable and not at all surprising. The authors have presented no evidence that GM canola is any more weedy or problematic than non-GM canola, or that any harms whatsoever have resulted.

“All of the results documented in the paper have been made elsewhere, and repeated now in the US state of North Dakota.

“The survey was explicitly only for roadsides and neighbouring highly disturbed habitats.

“These are not important to biodiversity, and no claims were made for adverse environmental impacts on roadsides or anywhere else.

“Herbicide resistance in canola is of no consequence if the canola is not sprayed, and that’s not likely in habitats of environmental significance.

“Canola has been known to persist along roadsides in Europe, North America and Australia for decades, including French and Canadian research from 2001 and 2003, as cited in the paper.

“We can expect to find GM canola growing on roadsides in NSW, Victoria and Western Australia, alongside non-GM canola, with no more consequence than brightening the roadsides with yellow during their flowering.

“Hybridisation between canola lines of different GM and non-GM herbicide resistances was documented by Dr Linda Hall in Canada more than 10 years ago, and is still not a problem of any sort in Canada.

“Many other feral crop plant species can be found on roadsides, including lucerne, without causing harm. The more important threats come from weeds such as wild radish and escaped garden plants, such as Pattersons Curse, and many more recent but not yet as well-known weeds.

The Rotarua Daily Post has introduced a monthy column from the CEO of Scion, Dr Warren Parker.

In his inaugural column, Dr Parker examines the issue of genetic modification in an careful light, acknowledging the  benefits but also highlighting the need to “proceed with caution”.

An excerpt (read in full here):

FORESTRY RESEARCH INSIGHT by Warren Parker, chief executive of Scion crown forestry research institute

Balance GM risks with great chances

Where would we be without a multitude of discoveries that improve our daily lives? After extensive hearings and deliberation, the Royal Commission on Genetic Modification concluded in 2001 New Zealand should adopt a precautionary approach, preserving opportunities for future use of genetic modification.

Supported by the Labour-led Government, this has allowed New Zealand research to proceed, under tightly-controlled conditions, into use of genetic modification techniques in pastoral and vegetable plants, dairy cattle and, at Scion, radiata pine.

In June, Northland anti-genetic engineering protesters reportedly danced in the streets at the thought Whangarei District Council might ban local use of genetic engineering.

New York Governor Martin Van Buren wrote to President Andrew Jackson in 1829 about the threat railroads posed to the canal system. He pleaded for the preservation of the latter noting “railroad carriages are pulled at the enormous speed of 15m/h [24km/h] by engines, in addition to endangering life and limb, snort their way through countryside belching out smoke, setting fire to crops, scaring the livestock and frightening women and children”.

Continue reading…

The Dominion Post’s Jon Morgan interviews visiting genetic modification expert Professor Pamela Ronald.

An excerpt: (read in full here)

“Professor Ronald, a specialist in genetically engineering rice, says it doesn’t make sense that mutation breeding is allowed in New Zealand and GE is not. She raises her hand to eye level.

“‘The National Academy of Sciences [the United States' most respected science body], puts the risk of unintended consequences from mutation breeding up here.’”

“She lowers her hand to her knees. ‘And the risks from GE down here. Yet mutation breeding is certified organic and GE is not.’”

“Labelling foods GE and allowing the consumer to decide would not be useful, she says. Carry that argument over to organic produce and it could see labels stating that organic produce treated with rotenone, a ‘natural’ pesticide, ‘may contain trace amounts of rotenone – chronic exposure can cause damage to liver and kidney”, or mutant breeding, “carries a genetic mutation induced by radiation mutagenesis, resulting in the presence of a mutant protein’.”

RadioLive EnviroNews: Graeme Hill interviews Janine Duckworth, Landcare Research’s pest control specialist, on a new vaccine that might control the possum population in New Zealand. The vaccine, rather than killing possums, aims to cause infertility – leading to an eventual decline in numbers.

You can listen to the full interview here

Ash means empty skies over Britain

Thousands of travellers are feeling the effects of a large volcanic eruption in Iceland, with flights across Europe cancelled as ash floats across Britain and the continent.

The impact on travel plans is illustrated well in this graphic that ran in The Guardian.

Scientists meanwhile have been analysing every aspect of the eruption and its aftermath looking at the potential impacts of volcanic ash on aircraft jet engines, and the effects on the respiratory health of people, on crops and the climate.

Our colleagues at the Science Media Centre in London pulled out all the stops to get scientific analysis of this natural event and its flow-on consequences. You can read those comments here.

DNA swap to stop genetic diseases

Scientists hope the passing of some genetic diseases from parents to children may be eliminated using a method where DNA from a woman’s embryo is transferred into the donor embryo of another woman.

The technique, outlined in Nature this week, has been successfully completed in humans for the first time, with the transfer leaving behind mitochondrial DNA whose mutations can cause genetic diseases such as Leigh Syndrome and retinitis pigmentosa.

The AusSMC wrapped up reaction from scientists here. Also available from the AusSMC in multiple formats is a graphic illustrating the process: a medical first that some critics argue could lead to the creation of “designer babies”.

ERMA greenlights GM research

Agresearch won a regulatory victory this week as the Environmental Risk Management Authority approved its application to continue and expand genetic modification research at its Ruakura facility.

The approval attracted criticism from anti-GM groups. However, as
the President of the New Zealand Institute of Agricultural and Horticultural commented in an alert put out by the SMC, “…it needs to be stressed that this is fundamentally experimental science being undertaken for the public good in a Crown agency. I am not aware of any “corporate” influence beyond that defined as acceptable and allowed under the CRI Act. I do not expect to wake up and put GM milk on my Weet-Bix in the near future!”

The full ERMA decision is available here.

Lots of wave action next week

Next week will see the marine energy industry gather at Te Papa in Wellington for a conference looking at technologies to extract energy using wave and tidal turbines.

Among the keynote speakers at next week’s conference is NIWA oceanographer Dr Craig Stevens who said in a release this week: “High speed flows in the coastal ocean are very complicated and not surprisingly carry vast amounts of energy.  We are starting with the basics, looking at the oceanography and getting a handle on variability.  This will provide us with real knowledge when it comes to both picking the best sites for energy extraction and understanding how the environment will be impacted.”

AWATEA, which is hosting the conference, yesterday released a report examining the state of marine energy allocation in New Zealand.

What drove science media in March?

The Science Media Centre’s Media Tracker for March shows mentions of the Crown Research Institutes increased as the media dissected the CRI Taskforce report, while late March saw a spike in biotech-related stories as the NZBio conference brought together people from the industry.

Check out the data for the month here.

Eloise Gibson writes in the New Zealand Herald about the decision by Erma to allow scientists to create and work with genetically modified sheep, goats and cows.

The research, to be conducted by AgResearch, will involve putting human genes into the animals in order to produce specific human proteins in their milk – it is hoped the milk could be used in the treatment of certain diseases.

An excerpt: (read in full here)

“The work will begin with genetically modified cows, and could be expanded to genetically modified goats within the next year.

“There are no immediate plans to genetically modify sheep at Ruakura.

…

“AgResearch hopes human proteins made by the animals could eventually be used to make “biopharmaceuticals” to treat rare human diseases and boost New Zealand’s income in the pharmaceuticals market.”

The Environmental Risk Management Authority (Erma) has granted AgResearch approval to continue working with genetically modified cells and animals.

The research, being conducted on goats, sheep and cattle, aims to develop specific proteins in milk which could be used to treat certain human diseases.

An excerpt: (read in full here)

“Erma said it considered the main benefit of the approved research would be an increase in scientific knowledge and the capacity for innovation in the country.

“The application was for research and development to completion for “proof-of-concept”, not field tests.

“The DNA constructs would be used in mice before being used to modify large animals such as cattle.

“”This is to confirm the consequences of the modification and to identify any potential animal welfare issues,” Erma said.”

Chris Barton writes in the NZ Herald about the vigorous debate over the use of genetic modification (GM) in the country, presenting the arguments of both sides.

Pro-GM campaigners say that such research is necessary for the development of therapies and treatments for a number of diseases, and that using animals to produce some of the needed proteins and enzymes can be better than producing them synthetically.

Others say that caution is needed with GM due to the potential unforeseen consequences of tampering with genes, and that strict assessments are needed to ensure that the resulting products are safe for use.

An excerpt: (read in full here)

“Though current enzyme replacement therapies are produced from genetically modified cell lines “fermented” in bioreactors in much the same way as synthetic insulin is produced, Forman says there are a number of advantages to using mammals’ milk to produce the proteins or enzymes.

“Using a mammalian system, he says, enables better uptake of the proteins by the patient’s cells, and minimises the chances of rejection by the patient’s immune system.

“Producing milk from a transgenic herd also avoids the complex, expensive laboratory and industrial-scale production processes that ferment genetically modified animal cell lines.

…

“But though the therapies Forman and others advocate clearly have benefits, they also raise the spectre of possible unknown effects of genetic modification.”

Eloise Gibson writes in the New Zealand Herald that the PM’s chief science advisor Professor Sir Peter Gluckman’s UK counterpart, Professor John Beddington, has suggested that New Zealand reevaluate its position on GM.

Saying that to classify GM either ‘good’ or ‘bad’ is not the right approach, he said it had a powerful role to play in food production.

An excerpt: (read in full here)

“In an interview with the Herald before the decision was released, Professor Beddington said biotechnology, including GM, had a role to play in food production.

“”We’ve got to think of these things on a case-by-case basis.” If, for example, a particular problem – whether it was of a plant disease or a particularly harsh environment – could be solved with GM technology, it should be considered, he said.

“Advocates of GM plants say they could be used to help solve looming crises of water shortages and climate change.

“New Zealand researchers hope to develop GM animals that could provide milk proteins to treat rare human diseases.

“But critics say the benefits of GM plants and animals have either not been proven or could be gained equally well by traditional selective breeding and laboratory trials.”

Chris Gardner of the Waikato Times reports that AgResearch’s chief executive has said that scientists are morally obliged to use GM techniques to solve the world’s upcoming food crisis.

Dr Andy West has said that New Zealand is able to support 17 million people in terms of its current product mix, and that he feels morally obliged to look into GM – techniques which increase food production while decreasing the inputs necessary.

He has been at a workshop also including Dr Nina Fedoroff, Hillary Clinton’s science adviser, who also believes that GM food is the best way to deal with climate change-induced decreasing food production and increasing population.

An excerpt: (read in full here)

“[Dr West] said he expected New Zealand to weather climate change well, because of its geographic location, and attract more immigrants as a result.

“But he said research on matching food production with population growth had dwindled around the world.

“Dr Fedoroff said the world’s $1 billon spend on such research was pathetic.

“”It does not make sense to me. We should be investing far larger in world food production than we are. We will keep trying.”"