Proceedings of the Workshop on Confinement of Genetically Engineered Crops during Field Testing
September 13-14, 2006

Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS).

INTRODUCTION

A Workshop on Confinement of Genetically Engineered Crops During Field Testing (Workshop) was held on September 13-14, 2004, sponsored by Biotechnology Regulatory Services (BRS) of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Under the Plant Protection Act of 2000, APHIS regulates the safe development and release into the environment of genetically engineered plants that have the potential to pose a plant pest risk. Thus, APHIS grants permission for field testing of most genetically engineered crops. The Workshop was held to review past results and obtain an update on the most recent scientific results relevant to biological dispersal and confinement of genetically engineered crops during field testing. The Workshop concentrated on, but was not limited to, crop plants currently planted under APHIS permit for use as plant made pharmaceuticals (PMPs) and plant made industrials (PMIs).

Experts were convened to present and consider past and current information relevant to biological and physical factors that influence the design, implementation, efficacy and feasibility of measures used to confine genetically engineered plants and their progeny to the authorized field sites, including measures that can be taken to limit gene flow beyond the authorized site, commingling with other crops, and persistence of genetically engineered plants in the environment following termination of the field trial. The use of modeling to predict gene flow or to enhance the design or assessment of confinement measures was also discussed. Finally, there was consideration of where research might facilitate the design or assessment of confinement measures. Three types of plants were considered: 1) wind pollinated crops using corn as a model, 2) self pollinated crops using rice as a model, and 3) insect pollinated crops using safflower as a model.

The Workshop format was developed with a multidisciplinary steering committee. The Workshop began with a half day of speakers presenting information to the initial plenary session on cross-cutting issues to aid in subsequent break-out sessions. Break-out sessions formed around the three types of plants and each discussed three major topics consecutively: pollen confinement, seed confinement, and general confinement strategies. Each major topic within a break-out group was developed through discussions that were initiated with short presentations by members of each group. Presentations can be viewed online at: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/brs/confine_present.html.

This document of proceedings summarizes the presentations and discussions of the participants. Each break-out group had a rapporteur take notes and summarize the group discussion. This summary was presented to the plenary of participants at the conclusion of the Workshop and the summaries were used as the basis for the proceedings. Members of the break-out groups were given the opportunity to review the summaries for their group and provide comments and additional information when relevant. Editing was provided by BRS. Generally, scientific notation is used in the document. Some information found in this proceeding was provided by members of the break-out groups after the conclusion of the Workshop. The rapporteur for each group reviewed the edited document. In addition, an extensive bibliography with references dating up to July 2005 was developed to facilitate discussion at the meeting and was elaborated after the Workshop by BRS and Workshop participants.

The proceedings and bibliography should serve as a resource for those involved in the design, evaluation, and research of confinement measures for all stages of field trials of genetically engineered plants (pre-plant through post-harvest monitoring), particularly for field trials of plants engineered to express pharmaceutical or industrial products.

Full proceedings in PDF format: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/brs/pdf/conf_ws_proc2.pdf