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Case Study 1.
The Corn Mon 810
Contained and Field
Proposals
Project Title:
Evaluation of Transgenic Corn
Hybrids Against The Asiatic
Cornborer, Ostrinia furnacalis
Guenee
Project Leader: Eduardo C. Fernandez,
Ph.D. (Entomology)
Collaborating Scientist: Manuel L.
Logroño, Ph.D. (Plant Breeding,
Cargill)
Supervising Biosafety Committee:
UPLB Biosafety Committee
IRRI Biosafety Committee
NCBP
Implementing Institution:
Institute of Plant Breeding, UPLB
Cargill Phils. Inc., Makati, MMla.
Collaborating Institute:
International Rice Research
Institute
Objective:
To determine the degree of
resistance of the transgenic corn
hybrids (expressing the Cry1A(b)
gene artificially infested with ACB
inside a contained facility
Test Species: Four Cargill transgenic
corn hybrids with the cry 1A(b) gene
derived by hybridization and
introgression from corn line Mon 810
GMO genetics: Line Mon 810 was
obtained by transforming the corn line
“HI-2” (a cross between public inbreeds
B73 and A188) by the particle
acceleration method using a gene gun.
The introduced genetic material
comprised a 3.6 Kb full length
synthetic gene encoding the
Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki
insect control protein Cry1A(b)
under control of the cauliflower
mosaic virus 35S promoter (CAMV
35S), in a pUC-Kan based delivery
plasmid vectors (Croon et. Al.,
1996).
Containment : CL4 facility, intended
for Entomological evaluation
Biosafety concerns: All plants
including kernels, used soil and
pots will be autoclaved after
termination of the experiment
Results:
The Cargill tropical Bt corn hybrids
with Mon 810 background showed
effective control of the Asiatic Corn
Borer under the CL4 facility at IRRI.
Date completed : June 1998
Project Title:
Field Bioefficacy Verification Trial
of Transgenic Corn Against
Asiatic Corn Borer, Ostrinia
furnacalis Guenee in the
Philippines
Proponent: Institute of Plant Breeding
and Cargill Philippines, Inc.
Project Leader: Eduardo Fernandez, Ph.D.
Entomology/Host Resistance
Collaborating Scientist:
Manuel L. Logroño, Ph.D.- Plant
Breeding/Host Resistance
Date Submitted to NCBP:
November 1998
Date approved for limited field trial:
August 25, 1999
Objectives:
To confirm the resistance exhibited by
the transgenic maize hybrids carrying the
Mon 810 Bt gene under containment facility
against the Asiatic Corn Borer (ACB).
To determine the differential response
of different ACB population to the
transgenic plants.
Species to be released:
The organism to be released is corn. The
specific corn hybrids have tropical background
with Bt gene derived by hybridization and
introgression from corn line MON 810
What genetic manipulations have been
made?
Microprojectile bombardment or particle
acceleration method was used to carry highly
purified DNA of plasmids vectors PV-ZMBKO7 and
PV-ZMGT10 to corn line “HI-2”.
The introduced genetic material comprised
a 3.6 Kb full length synthetic gene
encoding the Bacillus thuringiensis var.
kurstaki insect control protein Cry1A(b)
under control of the cauliflower mosaic
virus 35S promoter (CAMV 35S), in a pUCKan based delivery plasmid vectors (Croon
et.al.,1996).
How many copies of the manipulated
gene/DNA sequence are present?
Molecular analysis of MON 810 established
that the line contains only the Cry1A(b) gene
from plasmid PV-ZMBKO7. MON 810 does not
contain CP4 EPSPS, gox or NPTII. There is no
evidence that any DNA contained within the
plasmid PV-ZMGT10 was inserted. Line MON
810 contains only one integrated DNA,
contained on a 5.5 Kb Ndel Cry1A(b): a specific
delta-endotoxin produced in fragment, which
contains the E35S promoter, maize hsp 70
intron and the Cry1A(b) gene.
The Risk Analysis Form –
identify all the potential risks of the
planned release work and describe the
corresponding measures
Risk Analysis for Bt Corn
1. Parent Organism
2. Genetic Constituents
3. Phenotype of Organism
4. Attributes of the Environment1
Potential Major Risks
of Bt Corn
1. Gene Contamination- the Bt gene inserted into the
corn will transfer to other crops through the pollen.
Safeguards:
1. The pollen will be removed before pollen shedding
by detasseling the corn. Therefore, no pollen can
spread.
2. As back-up, safety net, a synthetic cloth barrier
will surround the experimental plots.
Potential Major Risks
of Bt Corn
2. Gene Contamination- that the Bt gene inserted into
the corn will contaminate the soil through the
roots.
Safeguard:
All parts of the plant will be destroyed and
burned at the end of the field test. The test site will be
flooded, harrowed, and any volunteers will be
destroyed.
Potential Major Risks
of Bt Corn
3. Insects Resistance Development- that the target
pest will adapt and eventually become resistant
to Bt corn
Safeguard:
Adaptation by target pests to pesticides is a natural
phenomenon observed even with the chemical
pesticides. Insect resistance development to Bt corn
has been observed in the United States where Bt corn
has been grown commercially in more than 16 million
acres. In the field trials which involved only about 600
square meters, insect resistance development is not
expected.
Potential Major Risks
of Bt Corn
4. Antibiotic Resistance Marker Gene-that this gene
commonly used as an experimental tool in selecting
transgenic from non-transgenic plants may lead to
increased resistance to antibiotics used in clinical
treatment.
Safeguard:
This potential health impact is not relevant since
there is no antibiotic resistance marker gene in the Bt
corn planted in the field tests.
Potential Major Risks
of Bt Corn
5. Toxicity and allergenicity- that the Bt toxin may be
toxic to animals or humans or may cause an
allergic reaction to sensitive individuals.
Safeguard:
This potential health impacts are not relevant since
the corn will not be fed to animals, much less humans,
as part of the field test. The corn, together with all the
other plant materials, will be destroyed at the end of the
field test.
In addition, the Bt toxin is highly specific unlike
other chemical pesticides, and is toxic only to
Lepidopteran insects but not to animals or humans.
Potential Major Risks
of Bt Corn
6. Adverse Effect on Biodiversity-that the Bt toxin will
affect not only the pest (corn borer) but also
beneficial insects ( for ex. lacewings)
Safeguard:
Bt toxin is highly specific against Lepidopteran
insects.
NCBP Decision:
In August 25, 1999, the NCBP (by a vote of eight
approved and one disapproved) after a series of
almost a year of deliberations, voted to allow the
carrying out of a limited field testing of Bt corn,
subject to the following conditions:
1. Detasseling of both transgenic and no-transgenic
corn plant;
2. Isolation distance of 500 meters;
3. Temporal isolation;
NCBP Decision:
4. Enclosure of the experimental area with a 10 feet
synthetic cloth
5. Proponent will sign an Oath of Undertaking; stating
among others that they will take full responsibility for
whatever damage the field trials will have on public
health and the environment and that they will comply
with other conditions imposed by other government
agencies and the LGUs where the proposed field
testing will be conducted;
NCBP Decision:
6. Strictly follow the monitoring schedule imposed by the
NCBP.
7. At the end of the experiment, the proponent will:
- harvest the ears to determine the yield;
- burn whatever vegetative material is left;
- flood the field to encourage germination
of any fallen seeds. After germination, the
sprouts will be removed and again burn to
ensure that no unexpected releases will
occur.
The NCBP looked into the concerns raised b the
NGOs, among these were the supposed genetic
contamination, presence of antibiotic
resistance genes, and food and feed safety.
- the issue of genetic contamination
resulting from these trials will be addressed by
the detasseling of the BT corn plants and
incineration of all plant materials;
- no antibiotic resistance gene is
incorporated into this particular Bt corn;
- on the issue of food safety the NCBP
pointed out that, technically the said issue is
not relevant to the proposed activity because
the field testing will not include feeding
studies. No feeding studies involving humans
and animals will be conducted. Nevertheless,
the committee has also taken into
consideration food safety and consulted
various peer-reviewed scientific literatures.
The NCBP cited that the Royal Society
of London has concluded that
allegations about the dangers of
genetically modified foods are entirely
unfounded. In fact, in the European
Union, the use of Bt corn has been
approved.
The NCBP believe that all issues
pertinent to the proposed activities
has been adequately addressed by
the proponents. With all the
safeguards in place, the proposed
activities are safe enough to be
allowed a limited field release.
The NCBP believe that with this field
testing, our local scientists will
finally have first-hand data on the
efficacy of Bt corn on the Asiatic
Corn Borer
Thank
You