Transgenic rapeseed

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Oilseed rape modified using the methods of green genetic engineering is referred to as transgenic rape (colloquially genetically modified rape ). The goals are improved resistance to broad spectrum herbicides ( herbicide- resistant rapeseed ) or improved food technology properties. Transgenic rapeseed is mainly grown in Canada , as well as in the United States , Australia and Chile .

Genetic goals

Change in ingredients

The properties of rapeseed oil are changed to improve the health value and industrial processability. Canola varieties are often genetically modified.

  • Enhancement of rapeseed oil with a new fatty acid profile in order to increase the stability during frying and thus to reduce the proportion of trans fatty acids .
  • Improvement of rapeseed oil through a higher content of omega-3 fatty acids and a lower content of saturated fatty acids .
  • Enhancement of rapeseed oil by increasing the lauric acid content , which improves the use of rapeseed oil in food and soap production.

Incorporation of male sterility

Development of male-sterile rape varieties to facilitate the development of hybrid (high-yielding) varieties.

Herbicide resistance

Broad spectrum herbicides that are effective against weeds but do not harm the arable crop are rare, so that with suboptimal herbicides there is a trade-off between killing a smaller mass of weeds (when used before the arable crop is sprouting) and damage to the arable crop (when used after the expulsion). Both options imply possible loss of income. For example , herbicide- resistant oilseed rape is resistant to glyphosate , a broad spectrum herbicide . In this way, herbicide control can be carried out regardless of the crop growth status. In addition, the combination of broad-spectrum herbicides with correspondingly resistant arable crops can reduce costs if less specialized herbicides are saved.

Growing areas

In 2014, transgenic oilseed rape was grown in Canada, the USA, Australia and Chile (only as seeds). In 1998 the global share of the area cultivated with genetically modified rapeseed was 9.2%. By 2014 it had increased to 25% (9 million hectares). In 2010 the national share was 95% (8 million ha) in Canada, 94% (0.7 million ha) in the United States and 14% (0.3 million ha) in Australia, where transgenic oilseed rape was first grown in 2008. Ha). In Chile, transgenic rape is only grown for the purpose of seed propagation, in 2014 on 2,000 hectares.

In the European Union , transgenic oilseed rape is grown as part of research and observation programs.

Economic impact

A limited number of scientific studies are available on the economic effects of growing transgenic oilseed rape. Estimates of yield increases are between 6 and 11%. With regard to production costs, the main effect is a reduction in the use of pesticides. Before the introduction of herbicide-tolerant GM varieties, farmers typically sprayed weeds twice (before and after they emerged) and also plowed to remove weeds before sowing. With herbicide-tolerant GM varieties, these three operations were reduced to one application after the emergence. This resulted in savings in labor, fuel and tillage costs. On the other hand, the seed costs were mostly higher for GM seeds. Overall, depending on climatic conditions, weed infestation and operational and management characteristics, moderate increases in profits or losses resulted. The fact that GM oilseed rape is still grown almost everywhere in Canada and the USA shows that non-economic factors such as comfort and flexibility in risk management, harvest quality and crop rotations play a more important role for users.

Approvals in the European Union

In the European Union , only Bayer CropScience and Monsanto have applied for approval of canola as food and feed. Three permits have expired, five are in the approval process. Approval has been granted for three varieties, GT73 from Monsanto and MS8 × RF3 and T45 from Bayer CropScience.

Applications for placing transgenic plants on the EU market (as of October 2011)
variety Companies feature purpose submitted Admission Details
GS40 / 90pHoe6 / Ac Bayer CropScience Herbicide resistance Food and feed, cultivation 1995 submitted Details
GT73 Monsanto Herbicide resistance Food and feed, imports 1998 authorized Details
GT73 Monsanto Herbicide resistance Food and feed, imports 2010 submitted Details
Liberator pHoe6 / Ac Bayer CropScience Herbicide resistance Food and feed, cultivation 1998 submitted Details
MS1 × RF2 Bayer CropScience male sterility, herbicide resistance Food and feed, import, cultivation 1995 expired Details
MS1 × RS1 Bayer CropScience male sterility, herbicide resistance Food and feed, import, cultivation 1997 expired Details
MS8 × RF3 Bayer CropScience male sterility, herbicide resistance Food and feed, imports 1996 authorized Details
MS8 × RF3 Bayer CropScience male sterility, herbicide resistance Food and feed 2010 submitted Details
MS8 × RF3 × GT73 Monsanto / Bayer CropScience Herbicide resistance Food and feed, imports 2009 submitted Details
T45 Bayer CropScience Herbicide resistance Food and feed, imports 2005 authorized Details
TOPAS 19/2 Bayer CropScience Herbicide resistance Food and feed, imports ? expired Details

Problematic side effects

Volunteering and multiple resistance

In 2003, the Swiss Genetic Engineering Working Group (SAG) came to the conclusion that “Herbicide-resistant volunteer rape and multi-resistant rape… is a reality in Canada.” On the other hand, 75% of Canadian farmers who cultivate transgenic oilseed rape stated in a 2005 survey that the Control of volunteers in genetically modified oilseed rape is no bigger problem than with unmodified oilseed rape. A working group at the Ecology Center at Kiel University came to the conclusion that due to the longevity of the rapeseed in the soil (up to 15 years) even the one-time cultivation of GM rapeseed in subsequent conventional plantings to make the subsequent harvests mandatory to be labeled as “genetically modified” “Can lead over several years. According to the calculations, the limit of 0.9% proportion of GM oilseed rape in the harvest can be exceeded for up to 8 years and in exceptional cases for up to 15 years. The range of fluctuations can be explained, for example, from the variation in harvest losses or the measures taken after the harvest. According to the organization WeedScience, there has been a glyphosate-resistant weed in Canada since 2008 with the three-leaved ragweed (Ambrosia trifida) and a total of 21. In ALS inhibitors ( acetolactate synthase ), which are the basis for other chemical weed control agents, there are 113 observed resistances . In a 2006 survey of 600 farmers in Western Canada, more than 94% of those questioned stated that weed control had improved or remained the same after the introduction of herbicide-resistant GM oilseed rape, less than 25% expressed concerns about possible development of resistance, 62% saw no differences in the control of conventional and GM volunteer rape, and 8% said volunteer rape was one of the top 5 problems with weed control.

Influence of specific weed regulation on agro-ecosystems

In the context of a broad study by the British government in Great Britain to determine the possible effects of the cultivation of genetically modified herbicide-resistant plants on biodiversity , various weed control concepts were compared with one another. In the cultivation of herbicide-resistant winter oilseed rape, in which the complementary herbicide with the active ingredient glufosinate was used to control weeds, there were differences in the number of weeds bearing flowers compared to conventional weed control . The fields planted with HR rape had significantly fewer flowering plants in terms of numbers. The results of the study suggest that this could have adverse effects on bees and butterflies . The importance of dicotyledon weeds in winter rape for bees and butterflies as an alternative source of food has not yet been clearly established. However, according to the authors of the study, there is the possibility that large-scale cultivation of HR winter rape could, in the long term, lead to a decrease in the dicotyledonous weed seed bank in the soil. This change in the range of weeds could have adverse consequences for the living conditions of specific animal species. Pollinator organisms and birds that feed on flower seeds were named as examples . In the context of the presentation of the study, Alan M. Dewar pointed out that only the consequences of different weed management systems with regard to the biodiversity of agricultural ecosystems were examined.

Transfer of herbicide resistance to related species

Oilseed rape has a high outcrossing potential , i. H. herbicide resistance could be inherited in related species. Pollen from oilseed rape plants is transported over several kilometers by wind ( wind pollination ) and insects ( insect pollination ), which enables herbicide resistance to be transferred to crossing partners that are relatively far away. When using rape plants with male sterility, the incrossing rate increases, since self-fertilization as competition to cross-pollination is prevented. There are fears that as a result, transgenic rapeseed will displace genetically unmodified rapeseed varieties and prevent the cultivation of pure, non-genetically modified rapeseed varieties.

A British study carried out between May 2000 and 2004 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) examined the extent to which transgenic oilseed rape showed its resistance to the related species vegetable cabbage ( Brassica oleracea ), turnip rape ( Brassica rapa ), black mustard ( Brassica nigra ), field radish ( Raphanus raphanistrum ), garden radish ( Raphanus sativus ), field mustard ( Sinapis arvensis ) and white mustard ( Sinapis alba ). Resistance to glufosinate (Liberty) was detected in two of 9547 cases of the rarest species in the study area, the turnip rape . All other examined species (85,912 plants) were not affected. Since the study's authors do not expect the property of herbicide resistance to be a fitness benefit in nature, they view the transfer of the resistance property as less of a problem.

In 2001, hybrids between beets and turnips containing the resistance transgene were discovered for the first time at two locations near the Canadian city of Québec . Despite the very low outcrossing rate, the lack of herbicides exerting selection pressure and the higher fitness costs associated with hybrid formation, a small, stable wild population containing the transgene established itself over the next six years. Pollen-mediated gene flow , seed loss and herbicide use can all contribute to the spread of transgenes . In the opinion of the authors, however, there are currently no data that would lead to the conclusion that the presence of herbicide-resistant transgenes in related species poses a risk.

Naturalization

American scientists discovered in 2010 during a study along roadsides in North Dakota that artificial genetic modifications could be detected in 80% of the canola plant samples taken. The GM plants found showed a gene resistance to herbicides with the active ingredient glyphosate ( Roundup ) or glufosinate (Liberty). Both resistance genes were found in two plants, i.e. both a resistance gene against glyphosate and one against Liberty. The scientists fear that these feral herbicide-resistant rape varieties could develop into weeds that are difficult to control .

In 2012, biologists from Greenpeace detected GM oilseed rape in the Basel ports . The Federal Office for the Environment took samples the year before - but found nothing. Following the findings by Greenpeace at the Basel ports, the Federal Office for the Environment has delegated responsibility to the cantons. When the station Lugano 2011 discoveries were also known. Agroscope recently found GMO oilseed rape in five of 161 birdseed grain mixtures examined .

literature

  • Manuel Thiel, Jan Barkmann: Economic evaluation of exemplary risks of large-scale cultivation of genetically modified rapeseed in Germany. In: Meeting point for biological diversity. Volume 7, 2007, pp. 49-55, (PDF; 34 kB) .

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b canola-council.org
  2. ↑ smallgrains.org ( Memento of the original from January 5, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.smallgrains.org
  3. ↑ Kerstin Stockmeyer, Frank Kempken: Biotechnology: Engineered male sterility in plant hybrid breeding . In: Progress in Botany . Volume 67, part 2, Springer: Berlin / Heidelberg 2005, pp. 178-187, doi: 10.1007 / 3-540-27998-9 8 .
  4. ^ S. Duke: Herbicide-resistant crops: agricultural, environmental, economic, regulatory, and technical aspects. CRC Press, Boca Raton, 1996.
  5. ↑ a b c Transparency genetic engineering: Genetically modified rapeseed: cultivated areas worldwide . (accessed April 7, 2015).
  6. ^ A b F. J. Areal, JM Dunwell, PJ Jones, JR Park, ID McFarlane, CS Srinivasan, RB Tranter: An evidence-based review on the likely economic and environmental impact of genetically modified cereals and oilseeds for UK agriculture.  ( Page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, University of Reading. Research Review No. 82, HGCA, 2015. (PDF)@1@ 2Template: Dead Link / www.hgca.com  
  7. ↑ Search ( Memento of the original from July 4, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. search for "rapeseed" in the transGEN database. (accessed on October 26, 2011) @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.transgen.de
  8. ^ Daniel Ammann: Fact Sheet: Uncertainties and examples of damage at the office . Swiss Working Group on Genetic Engineering, September 2003, (Pdf; 14 kB) ( Memento from May 30, 2009 in the Internet Archive )
  9. ↑ Genetically modified rapeseed in Canada: Ten years of cultivation - a balance sheet
  10. ↑ a b Dagmar Werren: Agro-genetic engineering-Is coexistence possible from the point of view of plant cultivation? Outcrossing problem and risk assessment . University of Kassel 2005, (Pdf; 857 kB) ( Memento from May 15, 2012 in the Internet Archive )
  11. ↑ Herbicide Resistant Weeds Summary Table (accessed October 24, 2011).
  12. ↑ Herbicide resistance and agro-biodiversity : results of winter rape. More grasses, fewer flowering plants from Biosicherheit of March 24, 2005, accessed on January 19, 2012
  13. ↑ Original study (PDF; 233 kB) Effects on weed and invertebrate abundance and diversity of herbicide management in genetically modified herbicide-tolerant winter-sown oilseed rape
  14. ↑ FSE Study: Herbicide- Resistant Plants and Agricultural Biodiversity Less biodiversity through efficient weed control biosicherheit from November 28, 2003, accessed on January 19, 2012
  15. ^ R. Becker, A. Ulrich, C. Hedtke, B. Honermeier: Influence of the cultivation of transgenic herbicide-resistant rape on the agricultural ecosystem . In: Federal Health Gazette - Health Research - Health Protection . Volume 44, number 2, pp. 159-167, doi: 10.1007 / s001030170039 .
  16. ↑ Umweltinstitut.org
  17. ↑ Roger Daniels, Caroline Boffey, Rebecca Mogg, Joanna Bond, Ralph Clarke: The potential for dispersal of herbicide tolerance genes from genetically-modified, herbicide-tolerant oilseed rape crops to wild relatives . Final report to DEFRA 2004 (Pdf; 264 kB) .
  18. ↑ SI Warick, A. Lgèrè, M.-J. Simard, T. James: Do escaped genes persist in nature? The case of an herbicide resistance transgene in a weedy Brassica rapa population. In: Molecular Ecology. Volume 17, 2008, pp. 1387-1395, doi: 10.1111 / j.1365-294X.2007.03567.x .
  19. ↑ Meredith G. Schafer, Andrew A. Ross, Jason P. Londo, Connie A. Burdick, E. Henry Lee, Steven E. Travers, Peter K. Van de Water, Cynthia L. Sagers: The Establishment of Genetically Engineered Canola Populations in the US In: PLoS ONE. Volume 6, number 10, e25736, doi: 10.1371 / journal.pone.0025736 .
  20. ↑ USA: Genetically modified oilseed rape found outside the fields . at GMO Safety. (accessed April 2, 2018).
  21. ↑ 10vor10 : Unwanted find In: srf.ch ( video on 23 May 2012), accessed on 6 October 2018.
  22. ↑ Feed: 63% meet requirements. In: schweizerbauer.ch . August 8, 2019, accessed August 17, 2019 .