Bundoora, Victoria, Australia
June 14, 2007
An application to conduct the
first Australian field trial of wheat that has been genetically
modified (GM) for drought tolerance has been approved by the
Office of the Gene Technology Regulator (OGTR).
The Molecular Plant
Breeding Cooperative Research Centre (MPBCRC) will fund the
trial, which is to be conducted by Prof German Spangenberg’s
research team based at DPI Victoria.
Wheat lines that have been developed and assessed under
laboratory and containment glasshouse facilities will now be
trialled in the field.
The trial will take place at two sites in the shires of Horsham
and Mildura, Victoria – both representative areas for
drought-prone conditions – on a maximum total area of 0.225
hectares over one growing season from June 2007 to March 2008.
Prof Spangenberg said the purpose of the trial is to conduct
‘proof of concept’ research to evaluate the agronomic
performance, including yield, of the GM wheat lines under
rain-fed, drought prone conditions.
Seed will also be collected and retained for seed increase or
further experimentation (subject to additional approvals).
Up to 30 GM wheat lines will be trialled. Each wheat line
contains one of six different genes for drought tolerance
derived from the plants maize (Zea mays) and thale cress
(Arabidopsis thaliana), a moss (Physcomitrella patens) and a
yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae).
“The introduced genes encode proteins that are intended to
improve drought tolerance by regulating gene expression or
modulating biochemical and signal transduction pathways in the
wheat plants,” Prof Spangenberg said.
MPBCRC CEO Dr Glenn Tong described the approval as an exciting
development in the ongoing quest to produce drought tolerant
wheat.
“Wheat is the dominant cereal crop grown in Australia and
contributes around $4.3 billion to the Australian economy.
Drought is conservatively estimated to result in annual losses
of up to $200 million.
“Against the background of increasingly dire warnings about
global warming, drought tolerant wheat will go a long way to
helping feed a larger number of the world’s hungry, as well as
potentially generating substantial export income for Australia.
“The world population is increasing, while at the same time
demand for food crops to be used as biofuels is also growing. It
is imperative we use every tool we have to address drought and
ensure food security.
The GM wheat will be compared with non-GM wheat for the ability
to secure greater yield under moderate to severe drought
conditions.
The application has been reviewed by the OGTR, and any potential
hazards to human health or the environment have been assessed.
The OGTR consulted with various stakeholders, local and state
governments and the public before making the decision to approve
the field trial under limited and controlled conditions.
MPBCRC was formed in July 2003 under the Cooperative Research
Centres Program funded by the Commonwealth Government.
It aims to develop new technologies in plant molecular biology
and implement effective strategies for their use in cereal and
pasture grass improvement programs.
The technologies developed by MPBCRC are being commercialised
and delivered through the involvement of breeding and seed
organisations in Australia and around the world.
MPBCRC's head office is at Bundoora, Melbourne, and its 200
research staff are located at various core and participant
organisations in Melbourne, Adelaide, Horsham, Hamilton, Perth,
Lismore and Mexico. |
|
