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Source: Australian Government, Bureau of Rural Sciences

Genetically modified crops: tools for insect pest and weed control in cotton and canola
R Holtzapffel, O Mewett, V Wesley and P Hattersley

This report explores the role of genetically modified (GM) insect-resistant and herbicide-tolerant crops as tools for insect pest and weed control in Australia and overseas. The report focuses on GM insect-resistant and herbicide-tolerant cotton, and GM herbicide-tolerant canola.

Foreword

Agriculture has always been subject to the limitations imposed by insect pests and weeds. These stresses cause significant yield and quality losses to Australian crops and the cost of controlling them can be high. This report explores the role of genetically modified (GM) insect-resistant and herbicide-tolerant crops as tools for insect pest and weed control in Australia and overseas.

In the Australian cotton industry, which has been growing GM insect-resistant varieties for more than ten years, the agronomic and environmental benefits of this technology have been demonstrated. There have been reductions in insecticide use and pesticide residues in rivers. Together with the introduction of the Best Management Practices Program for cotton production, GM cotton has contributed to the increased sustainability of cotton farming. The majority of Australian growers have also reported economic benefits from growing GM cotton.

In a similar manner, the introduction of GM herbicide-tolerant canola varieties to Australia has the potential to increase yields, offer a greater choice of weed control options and reduce environmental impact by enabling farmers to use more environmentally-benign herbicides. This has been the experience in Canada.
There are also challenges associated with the adoption of GM crops. Managing the potential for insect pests to develop resistance to the active ingredient in GM insect-resistant crops is a major challenge. For herbicide-tolerant crops, the potential for weeds to become herbicide-resistant and, in the case of canola, the potential for transfer of herbicide tolerance genes to conventional canola plants or related weeds, are significant management challenges. Such challenges can be met through Integrated Pest Management and Integrated Weed Management systems, designed to maintain the sustainability of GM crops as new pest and weed control tools.
Future developments in GM insect-resistant and herbicide-tolerant crops are likely to provide further valuable tools for Australian agriculture.

Full report: http://affashop.gov.au/PdfFiles/gm-crops26_nov_08.pdf

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