Contamination of imported kernels by unapproved genome-edited varieties poses a major challenge for monitoring and traceability during transport and handling on a global scale: inferences from a study on feral oilseed rape in Austria
Novel techniques such as CRISPR/Cas are increasingly being applied for the development of modern crops. However, the regulatory framework for production, labelling and handling of genome-edited organisms varies worldwide. Currently, the European Commission is raising the question whether genome-edit...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-04-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Genome Editing |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fgeed.2023.1176290/full |
| _version_ | 1797843814560301056 |
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| author | Kathrin Pascher Kathrin Pascher Christa Hainz-Renetzeder Christa Hainz-Renetzeder Michaela Jagersberger Katharina Kneissl Günter Gollmann Gerald M. Schneeweiss |
| author_facet | Kathrin Pascher Kathrin Pascher Christa Hainz-Renetzeder Christa Hainz-Renetzeder Michaela Jagersberger Katharina Kneissl Günter Gollmann Gerald M. Schneeweiss |
| author_sort | Kathrin Pascher |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Novel techniques such as CRISPR/Cas are increasingly being applied for the development of modern crops. However, the regulatory framework for production, labelling and handling of genome-edited organisms varies worldwide. Currently, the European Commission is raising the question whether genome-edited organisms should still be regulated as genetically modified organisms in the future or whether a deregulation should be implemented. In our paper, based on the outcome of a 2-year case study on oilseed rape in Austria, we show that seed spillage during import and subsequent transport and handling activities is a key factor for the unintended dispersal of seeds into the environment, the subsequent emergence of feral oilseed rape populations and their establishment and long-term persistence in natural habitats. These facts must likewise be considered in case of genome-edited oilseed rape contaminants that might be accidentally introduced with conventional kernels. We provide evidence that in Austria a high diversity of oilseed rape genotypes, including some with alleles not known from cultivated oilseed rape in Austria, exists at sites with high seed spillage and low weed management, rendering these sites of primary concern with respect to possible escape of genome-edited oilseed rape varieties into the environment. Since appropriate detection methods for single genome-edited oilseed rape events have only recently started to be successfully developed and the adverse effects of these artificial punctate DNA exchanges remain largely unknown, tracing the transmission and spread of these genetic modifications places high requirements on their monitoring, identification, and traceability. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T17:12:03Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-eee15ed2a07e4ff4bc0964832a0398ed |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2673-3439 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T17:12:03Z |
| publishDate | 2023-04-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Genome Editing |
| spelling | doaj.art-eee15ed2a07e4ff4bc0964832a0398ed2023-04-20T05:52:21ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Genome Editing2673-34392023-04-01510.3389/fgeed.2023.11762901176290Contamination of imported kernels by unapproved genome-edited varieties poses a major challenge for monitoring and traceability during transport and handling on a global scale: inferences from a study on feral oilseed rape in AustriaKathrin Pascher0Kathrin Pascher1Christa Hainz-Renetzeder2Christa Hainz-Renetzeder3Michaela Jagersberger4Katharina Kneissl5Günter Gollmann6Gerald M. Schneeweiss7Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, Vienna, AustriaInstitute of Zoology, Department of Integrative Biology and Biodiversity Research, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, AustriaDepartment of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, Vienna, AustriaInstitute of Landscape Development, Recreation and Conservation Planning (ILEN), Department of Landscape, Spatial and Infrastructure Sciences, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, AustriaDepartment of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, Vienna, AustriaDepartment of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, Vienna, AustriaDepartment of Evolutionary Biology, Unit for Theoretical Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, AustriaDepartment of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, Vienna, AustriaNovel techniques such as CRISPR/Cas are increasingly being applied for the development of modern crops. However, the regulatory framework for production, labelling and handling of genome-edited organisms varies worldwide. Currently, the European Commission is raising the question whether genome-edited organisms should still be regulated as genetically modified organisms in the future or whether a deregulation should be implemented. In our paper, based on the outcome of a 2-year case study on oilseed rape in Austria, we show that seed spillage during import and subsequent transport and handling activities is a key factor for the unintended dispersal of seeds into the environment, the subsequent emergence of feral oilseed rape populations and their establishment and long-term persistence in natural habitats. These facts must likewise be considered in case of genome-edited oilseed rape contaminants that might be accidentally introduced with conventional kernels. We provide evidence that in Austria a high diversity of oilseed rape genotypes, including some with alleles not known from cultivated oilseed rape in Austria, exists at sites with high seed spillage and low weed management, rendering these sites of primary concern with respect to possible escape of genome-edited oilseed rape varieties into the environment. Since appropriate detection methods for single genome-edited oilseed rape events have only recently started to be successfully developed and the adverse effects of these artificial punctate DNA exchanges remain largely unknown, tracing the transmission and spread of these genetic modifications places high requirements on their monitoring, identification, and traceability.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fgeed.2023.1176290/fullgenome-edited plantsrisk assessmentseed spillageBrassica napusgenetic diversity |
| spellingShingle | Kathrin Pascher Kathrin Pascher Christa Hainz-Renetzeder Christa Hainz-Renetzeder Michaela Jagersberger Katharina Kneissl Günter Gollmann Gerald M. Schneeweiss Contamination of imported kernels by unapproved genome-edited varieties poses a major challenge for monitoring and traceability during transport and handling on a global scale: inferences from a study on feral oilseed rape in Austria Frontiers in Genome Editing genome-edited plants risk assessment seed spillage Brassica napus genetic diversity |
| title | Contamination of imported kernels by unapproved genome-edited varieties poses a major challenge for monitoring and traceability during transport and handling on a global scale: inferences from a study on feral oilseed rape in Austria |
| title_full | Contamination of imported kernels by unapproved genome-edited varieties poses a major challenge for monitoring and traceability during transport and handling on a global scale: inferences from a study on feral oilseed rape in Austria |
| title_fullStr | Contamination of imported kernels by unapproved genome-edited varieties poses a major challenge for monitoring and traceability during transport and handling on a global scale: inferences from a study on feral oilseed rape in Austria |
| title_full_unstemmed | Contamination of imported kernels by unapproved genome-edited varieties poses a major challenge for monitoring and traceability during transport and handling on a global scale: inferences from a study on feral oilseed rape in Austria |
| title_short | Contamination of imported kernels by unapproved genome-edited varieties poses a major challenge for monitoring and traceability during transport and handling on a global scale: inferences from a study on feral oilseed rape in Austria |
| title_sort | contamination of imported kernels by unapproved genome edited varieties poses a major challenge for monitoring and traceability during transport and handling on a global scale inferences from a study on feral oilseed rape in austria |
| topic | genome-edited plants risk assessment seed spillage Brassica napus genetic diversity |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fgeed.2023.1176290/full |
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