Agricultural Biotechology
Experiments to:
1. Produce GM crops, with screening, safety and regulation
1. Screening: assessment of practice
2. Safety: FDA requirements, must do animal testing which includes dermal, dietary
and inhalation testing.
3. Regulation: EFSA applies the principles of GMO risk assessment considering the
following aspects:
1. Molecular characterisation: assessment of the molecular structure of the
newly created proteins, their functioning and their potential interactions.
2. Comparative analysis: comparison of the GM plant with its conventional
counterpart. The aim is to detect differences in the plant’s observable
appearance such as height and colour – phenotypic characteristics – and its
agronomic characteristics such as yield. The analysis also compares the
nutritional value of the GM plant and its conventional counterpart.
3. Evaluation of potential toxicity and allergenicity
4. Evaluation of potential environmental impact.
5. Applicants must include a plan for detailed post-market environmental
monitoring (PMEM) irrespective of whether they apply for authorisation to
import and/or process, or for cultivation.
b. Concerns when deploying:
i. insect resistant crops
1. to human health
1. dietary exposure of Cry toxins
1. Assuming the concentration of Cry protein in maize grain to be
one part per million (Betz et al., 2000), and an average human
body weight of 70 kg, it would require consumption of 350 kg of
maize per day to attain the dosage of 5 mg of Cry protein /kg body
weight
2. TAN (transformed, allergens, nutrition)
1. Allergy: Starlink corn recalled in 2000 because inserted gene with
B.thuringiensis encodes a protein, called Cry9c, with pesticidal
properties, but with an unintended, strong allergenicity
2. BUT! Bt reducing insects like the corn borer that damage plants
and allow growth of fungal infections which produce mycotoxins.
Aflatoxin producing Aspergillus flavus. High exposure to toxin
causes liver cancers (Kenya 2004-contaminated maize caused 125
deaths. Bt good to reduce pests that spread these fungal
pathogens so good way to reduce impact in developing places.
Randall 2016
3. Also!!! Saavedra 2018: great tits eavesdrop on female winter moth
pheromones - could use this in controlling pest insect problems
b. to environment
1. Monarch butterfly larvae susceptible to Bt pollen at early life stage
and risk decreases also only to Cry1Ac and Cry1Ab
2. PLPBR (pests (different ones), loss of food, poisoned larvae,
biodiversity, resistance)
3. Also! multi-state trials in the United States revealed that Bt maize
is more effective in controlling H. zea than non-Bt maize sprayed
with insecticides. Shelton 2013
ii. herbicide resistant crops
a. to human health
1. TAN
