Commenting on the Environmental Risk management Authority (ERMA) approval to trial genetically modified potatoes at Lincoln this year, New Zealand Institute for Crop and Food Research Chief Executive Dr. Michael Dunbier acknowledged the careful consideration the ERMA Board gave to the decision. "The decision confirms our view that the potential scientific and economic benefits out-weigh any risks associated with the trials," he said.

"We have been conducting similar trials with transgenic potatoes for ten years now, we are international leaders in the field and we firmly believe that the scientific work we are doing now will enable us, in future, to produce potato varieties that are better for farmers, the food industry, better for consumers and better for the environment," said Dr Dunbier.

One group of potato trials will be on plants that have been genetically modified to resist potato tuber moth rather than relying on control by pesticides. The potato plants have been modified to include DNA copied from a common soil bacterium, Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), widely used as a spray by organic growers.

The second group of potato trials will involve a research project investigating resistance to soft rot bacteria. These potato plants have been modified using one of three genes which produce the peptides cecropin, magainin and lysozyme which are all active against Erwinia, the bacteria responsible for soft rot disease on potatoes. The synthetic DNA sequences for these genes are based on peptides from silkworms, toads and a bacteriophage. These and similar peptides
are found in many insects and mammals which are eaten by higher animals, including humans.

Over the 5 year period, the proposed field trials will consist of up to 400 genetically modified potato plants grown alongside normal potato varieties. If the trials are successful in identifying varieties with commercial potential, more intensive safety checks will be made before a further
application is made for a general release.

The trials will be conducted on the research farm and appropriate steps taken to minimise risks of any loss of genetically modified material from the site. Once the trial is over, the site will be monitored for surviving plants, which will be removed to ensure the complete elimination of genetically engineered potato plants from the trial site.

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