LAST ROUND OF GM CROP TRIALS
Fustis | 02.09.2002 10:08 | Bio-technology
30 August 2002
PURITY OF SEED CONFIRMED FOR LAST ROUND OF GM CROP TRIALS
The purity of the GM winter oil seed rape seed due for planting this autumn in the last round of the Government's program of Farm Scale Evaluations (FSEs) of GM crops has been confirmed by independent tests today.
Following the recent discovery of additional GM material in spring oil seed rape seed (announced on 15th August 2002), DEFRA suspended the autumn sowing and required detailed testing be carried out of the seed due to be sown this autumn.
Aventis Cropscience, the company that provides the GM seed, was requested by DEFRA to conduct thorough testing of the seed before planting could proceed. Simultaneously independent tests were carried out by the GM Inspectorate at the Central Science Laboratory. Both tests have confirmed that only the intended GM seed is present.
In the light of the test results, Aventis have been authorised to go ahead with sowings of winter oil seed rape which will complete the farm scale evaluation programme. Sixteen sites in England (with a further two in Scotland) will be sown with winter oil seed rape genetically modified to be tolerant to the herbicide glufosinate ammonium. Sowing will take place over the next few weeks. The
locations of the sites were announced on July 8th 2002.
Notes to Editors
The GM Inspectorate's report of the test results is attached and will shortly be available on their web site at www.csl.gov.uk
The Scottish Executive will be making a separate announcement about the Scottish trial sites.
Further details of the farm scale evaluations and their locations are available on the DEFRA website at
http://www.defra.uk.gov/environment/gm/index In addition to the farm-scale evaluation sites, several previously planned small-scale experimental releases of the same winter oil seed rape will also be sown over the next few weeks. The details of these trials and their locations are also available at the DEFRA web site,
Report on the sampling and testing of oilseed rape seed to be planted under consents 00/R33/11 and 00/R33/11S
Background Following the recent finding of additional GM elements in the GM oilseed rape seed used in the Farm Scale Evaluation crop trials in spring 2002, the GM Inspectorate collected and tested samples of winter oilseed rape for use in the Farmscale Evaluation trials to be sown this autumn.
Sampling Procedure On 19.08.02 samples were taken of the two Aventis GM winter oilseed varieties proposed to be planted in the FSE trials this autumn. Seed lot references: PHW 99 429 Lot 01/82452/1 PHW 00 431 Lot 00/54364/3.
Three replicate 500g samples were taken from each variety. A fourth reference sample from each seed lot was taken for retention in the store where the seed was being held at a processing facility.
Each replicate sample was further subdivided at CSL to provide 100g samples for PCR testing, growing-on and reference. The remainder of the seed was held in reserve.
Testing procedure A 100g sample was milled and from this DNA was extracted from duplicate 5g samples and then tested for the presence of genetically modified material using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
Initially PCRs were performed using primers specific for non-GM oilseed rape to ensure that amplifiable DNA had been extracted from the sample. Analyses were then performed using primers specific for
p35S, pNOS, tNOS, NptII, CMoVB, GOX, BAR, BARSTAR, BARNASE and E93'.
Any sample in which p35S was detected was further analysed for the presence of Cauliflower Mosaic virus (CAMV).
PCR tests are conducted such that routinely there is a 96.4%
probability of detecting 0.1% GM.
Conclusion The test results indicated that the samples of oil seed rape material contained a range of GM elements (fertility factors, traits and terminator) consistent with the hybrid Ms8xRf3 for which the consents 00/R33/11 and 00/R33/11S have been granted.
Furthermore the results confirm the absence of the antibiotic marker kanomycin (nptII) and promoter pNOS and therefore the GM events Rf1, MS1 and RF2.
GM Inspectorate Central Science Laboratory 29 August 2002
PURITY OF SEED CONFIRMED FOR LAST ROUND OF GM CROP TRIALS
The purity of the GM winter oil seed rape seed due for planting this autumn in the last round of the Government's program of Farm Scale Evaluations (FSEs) of GM crops has been confirmed by independent tests today.
Following the recent discovery of additional GM material in spring oil seed rape seed (announced on 15th August 2002), DEFRA suspended the autumn sowing and required detailed testing be carried out of the seed due to be sown this autumn.
Aventis Cropscience, the company that provides the GM seed, was requested by DEFRA to conduct thorough testing of the seed before planting could proceed. Simultaneously independent tests were carried out by the GM Inspectorate at the Central Science Laboratory. Both tests have confirmed that only the intended GM seed is present.
In the light of the test results, Aventis have been authorised to go ahead with sowings of winter oil seed rape which will complete the farm scale evaluation programme. Sixteen sites in England (with a further two in Scotland) will be sown with winter oil seed rape genetically modified to be tolerant to the herbicide glufosinate ammonium. Sowing will take place over the next few weeks. The
locations of the sites were announced on July 8th 2002.
Notes to Editors
The GM Inspectorate's report of the test results is attached and will shortly be available on their web site at www.csl.gov.uk
The Scottish Executive will be making a separate announcement about the Scottish trial sites.
Further details of the farm scale evaluations and their locations are available on the DEFRA website at
http://www.defra.uk.gov/environment/gm/index In addition to the farm-scale evaluation sites, several previously planned small-scale experimental releases of the same winter oil seed rape will also be sown over the next few weeks. The details of these trials and their locations are also available at the DEFRA web site, Report on the sampling and testing of oilseed rape seed to be planted under consents 00/R33/11 and 00/R33/11S
Background Following the recent finding of additional GM elements in the GM oilseed rape seed used in the Farm Scale Evaluation crop trials in spring 2002, the GM Inspectorate collected and tested samples of winter oilseed rape for use in the Farmscale Evaluation trials to be sown this autumn.
Sampling Procedure On 19.08.02 samples were taken of the two Aventis GM winter oilseed varieties proposed to be planted in the FSE trials this autumn. Seed lot references: PHW 99 429 Lot 01/82452/1 PHW 00 431 Lot 00/54364/3.
Three replicate 500g samples were taken from each variety. A fourth reference sample from each seed lot was taken for retention in the store where the seed was being held at a processing facility.
Each replicate sample was further subdivided at CSL to provide 100g samples for PCR testing, growing-on and reference. The remainder of the seed was held in reserve.
Testing procedure A 100g sample was milled and from this DNA was extracted from duplicate 5g samples and then tested for the presence of genetically modified material using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
Initially PCRs were performed using primers specific for non-GM oilseed rape to ensure that amplifiable DNA had been extracted from the sample. Analyses were then performed using primers specific for
p35S, pNOS, tNOS, NptII, CMoVB, GOX, BAR, BARSTAR, BARNASE and E93'.
Any sample in which p35S was detected was further analysed for the presence of Cauliflower Mosaic virus (CAMV).
PCR tests are conducted such that routinely there is a 96.4%
probability of detecting 0.1% GM.
Conclusion The test results indicated that the samples of oil seed rape material contained a range of GM elements (fertility factors, traits and terminator) consistent with the hybrid Ms8xRf3 for which the consents 00/R33/11 and 00/R33/11S have been granted.
Furthermore the results confirm the absence of the antibiotic marker kanomycin (nptII) and promoter pNOS and therefore the GM events Rf1, MS1 and RF2.
GM Inspectorate Central Science Laboratory 29 August 2002
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