Abstract

Reference: EEA 2002 
Title:  Genetically modified organisms (GMOs): The significance of gene flow through pollen transfer
Authors: Eastham, K. and Sweet, J. and participants in the ESF Assessing the Impact of GM Plants (AIGM) programme
Publisher: European Environment Agency (EEA), Kongens Nytorv 6, DK-1050 Copenhagen K, Denmark
Publication details: 2002, 75p

The European Science Foundation (ESF) established a research programme, Assessing the Impact of GM Plants (AIGM) in 1999. This programme brings together scientists from 10 European countries involved in assessing the environmental and agronomic impact of GM crops, including studies of gene flow and dispersal through pollen, hybridisation and gene introgression.

This report considers the significance of pollen-mediated gene flow from six major crop types that have been genetically modified and are close to commercial release in the European Union. Oilseed rape, sugar beet, potatoes, maize, wheat and barley are reviewed in detail using recent and current research findings to assess their potential environmental and agronomic impacts. There is also a short review on the current status of GM fruit crops in Europe. Each crop type considered has its own distinctive characteristics of pollen production, dispersal and potential outcrossing, giving varying levels of gene flow.

The report concludes that the possible implications of hybridisation and introgression between crops and wild plant species are so far unclear because it is difficult to predict how the genetically engineered genes will be expressed in a related wild species. The fitness of wild plant species containing introgressed genes from a GM crop will depend on many factors involving both the genes introgressed and the recipient ecosystem. While it is important to determine frequencies of hybridisation between crops and wild relatives, it is more important to determine whether genes will be introgressed into wild populations and establish at levels that may have a significant ecological impact.

Back to EEA page