JACOBSEN ALDE ADLE Seminar GMO 31032011

8/7/2019 JACOBSEN ALDE ADLE Seminar GMO 31032011

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Evert Jacobsen,Plant Breeding, Plant Sciences Group, Wageningen UR31.03.2011 Brussel

www.cisgenesis.com

New scientific insights in GM-plants ask for morediffe- rentiation so that not whole Europe is missing

the boat



H istory of plant breeding

1. crop domestication out of, uncultivated, wild plants; lowlevels of toxic compounds; adaptation to agriculture2. classical plant breeding :selection methods

genetic variation within breeders gene pool: crop speciesitself or crossable species, including mutations3. GM-plant breeding :N ew gene pool with transgenesTransformation technology

Present EU GM-regulation based on transgenes andtechnology



T odays problem of GM-crops

Low acceptance level1. Multinationals connected herbicide use withseed business; not enough added value for

consumer 2. New gene pool : antibiotic resistance genes3. Technology of genetic modification is new

Application of EU regulation too much dependent onlobbying and other things than on scientific reasoning



Elements for a solution

No lobbying , but sound application and respect of rules,

including those for co-existenceRegularly, independent assessments of new (scientific)insightsReconstructed logic of content and application of GM rulesListening to history



New scientific insightsRECONS T RUC T ED LOGIC A ND gmo-LEGISL AT ION

Longterm experience: C lassical plant breeding ³with own gene pool´ is

safe

2001/18/E C was based on present knowledge , transgenesand with classical plant breeding as baseline

However,Knowledge development is ongoingExperiences with GMOs are gathered (>1 billion ha )Regularly, safety assessments have to be reconsidered

Adjustment of legislation ( for example for cisgenes, like self-cloned genes in bacteria )Problem: classical plant breeding not well understoodMany GM-assessment items happen also in safely classified classical

breeding



EU-Legislation philosophy based on a static view of genetics

of living organisms

B ut reality is dynamic

Natural plants and varieties are dynamicTherefore, maintenance breeding is core activityMost import causes are spontaneous mutations and geneticrecombination, even between speciesT-DNA transgenes naturally present in 14 tobacco speciesWhole Genome Sequencing: One plant is not representing allcoding genes. C ore and dispensable DNA

Dynamics of genetics is not reflected in the application of GMO-rules



H istory of former new developments in EuropeGreen revolution (1940, Mexico, Borlaugh): short straw . In

1970s in Europe ; now almost all wheat varieties have shortstraw

Concept of hybrid varieties :Maize 1926 USA; 1967 Hungary for yield; now >95% hybrid

Later: Vegetable hybrid varieties in Europe for yield andvariety protection (basis strong seed industry)

(Induced) Mutation breeding : safe with over 3000 varietiessince 1960s (also applied in many developing countries)

Gene revolution: GMO : 1995 USA; World wide 158 Mha; EU90.000 Ha. Totally > 1 Billion Ha. In EU under discussionEuropean countries often delayed in following new

developments



Lessons learned and recommendationH istory shows that core developments can and must not bestopped . So GM-breeding will stay. Also in Europe

RecommendationIndividual State members must not be dependent on the

slowest one, degrees of freedom needed , so that:- not whole EU is missing the boat for a safe environment

- Ban on cultivation of approved GM-varieties, now bysafeguard clause, is than changed from illegal and unethical

into legalNeeded : C o-existence rules have to be present in each EU-member country. Legal refusal of GM variety cultivation by, temporally accepted, non-scientific grounds of individual EU-members

JACOBSEN ALDE ADLE Seminar GMO 31032011

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