The Environmental Risk Management Authority has approved, with controls, an application from Crop and Food Research to field test genetically modified onions in containment at a site located in the region around Lincoln, Canterbury. The purpose of this research is to field test onions modified for tolerance to the herbicide glyphosate and to evaluate their environmental impact; herbicide tolerance; agronomic performance; development as cultivars and equivalency to non-genetically modified onions.

Field test applications of this type were not covered by the recently-lifted moratorium and have been permitted both before and during the period of the moratorium. In all over 70 GMO field tests have been approved in New Zealand: the majority by the Interim Assessment Group and the last 13 by the Environmental Risk Management Authority. They involve a number of plants and trees as well as animals.

The approval is limited to onion lines modified with no more than two insertion events of a defined genetic construct. The genetic construct may be any one of three specified plasmids each containing a synthetic EPSPS gene, conferring tolerance to glyphosate, which is based on the EPSPS gene from Agrobacterium strain CP4. Other parts of the construct include a promoter derived from a plant virus, a leader sequence derived from a plant heat shock protein, a sequence encoding a chloroplast transit peptide and a downstream untranslated region. The organism specification is limited to two insertion events to reduce the risk of unanticipated effects.

The controls imposed by the Authority provide for

• The field trial to be at a specified site, in the region around Lincoln, and for the control and securing of the facility in regard to the entry and exit of biological material and of people.
• Limitation of the duration of the approval to ten years.
• The scope of the field trial programme including, for example limiting the number of genetically modified onions grown and other plants or crops allowed on the site.
• The disposal of onion plant material and particularly the destruction of any GM onions not removed to another containment facility.
• Removal of all onions from the field before flowering (and thus pollen release) can occur, in addition to regular inspection to detect early flowering plants.
• Monitoring and inspections both during the field trial and after its completion.

The three main potential risks and costs identified by the Authority's Special Committee were those from pollen transfer, unanticipated effects due to the incomplete characterisation of the genetically modified onions and the opportunity costs of not funding other research. The principal benefit from the genetically modified onion field trial is the scientific and other knowledge to be obtained. Other significant benefits include the provision of a platform for research into environmental effects, the development of patentable lines of genetically modified onions, contributions to local employment and the retention of scientific skills in New Zealand. Long term commercial possibilities were not treated as significant because they would be relevant only to an application for release, not to the current field trial in containment.

Concerns raised by Māori were carefully considered. The Authority judged them to be adequately ameliorated by the controls set regarding kaitiaki functions, receipt of reports and engagement between Crop & Food Research and Māori for ongoing consultation regarding the field trial.

Overall, the benefits of field testing the GM onions were considered to outweigh the risks and costs. Other means of achieving the research objectives were considered, but this did not provide any reason to decline the application.

The risk of pollen escaping from the field trial and contaminating other crops received especially careful consideration. The risk was assessed as very low because no flowering is allowed. Onion flowering is simply controlled because the plants generally only flower in their second year and the controls limit GM onions to one year only. If plants flower early (bolting) the flowers (on readily visible 'pipe' stems) do not open for at least four weeks after emergence. Weekly monitoring will detect these.

The time taken to make this decision has slightly exceeded the statutory guideline. The extra time taken for the release of this decision was to allow the Committee to give robust and full consideration to all of the risks, costs and benefits of the application.

The application code is GMF03001.

Further information, including the full text of the Decision, the Agency's evaluation report, the application documents and details of the controls can be found on the ERMA New Zealand website or will be made available on request.

For more information see the GM Onions focus page at:
http://www.ermanz.govt.nz/news-events/focus/gm-onions.asp.

New Zealand Crop & Food Research receives ERMA approval to undertake garden-scale field trial of GM onions

The ability to undertake garden-scale, contained field trials of genetically modified onions will help answer questions about the environmental impacts of the technology in agriculture, Crop and Food Research chief executive Paul Tocker says.

Crop & Food Research has received approval from the Environmental Risk Management Authority (ERMA) to undertake garden-scale field trials in Canterbury over the next 10 years. The trials will cover an area of less than 15 square metres.

Mr Tocker says scientists will work closely with ERMA to ensure the strict controls imposed by the authority are adhered to. Crop & Food Research has more experience than any other company in the country with regards to conducting field trials under strict conditions.

“In the last 15 years we’ve undertaken 33 contained field tests on a range of genetically modified vegetable and flower crops under strict controls,” Mr Tocker says. “We are committed to working closely with ERMA as these trials proceed.

“These small-scale trials will provide the data needed to make fact-based decisions regarding the risks and benefits of this technology. Ultimately, it will be growers and consumers who will determine the future of these products.”

The onions have been genetically modified to tolerate the low toxicity biodegradable herbicide, glyphosate. Since weeds must be controlled to grow a healthy onion crop, onions containing the herbicide-tolerant trait may lead to environmental and economic benefits by reducing the total amount of herbicide used.

The trials will also be used to assess the impact of the herbicide-tolerant onions on the bacterial communities associated with the soil and plants.

The onion planting season begins in August. Because it is now late in the season for the crop, the first full trial will not start until the 2004 growing season.

Small-scale contained field trials like this one have been possible under existing regulations for many years. The application by Crop & Food Research to undertake the research was made before the moratorium was lifted in late October.

Crop & Food Research has a research relationship with Seminis Vegetable Seeds, which markets vegetable seed to conventional and organic growers in 150 countries. New Zealand trial results will be shared with Seminis, which has provided technical and environmental stewardship support for this research project.

This GM onion research forms part of Crop & Food Research’s onion research programme which aims to increase the value of the crop for New Zealand growers and consumers. Other onion field trials are also being undertaken by Crop & Food Research in Canterbury.