The impact of hybrids between genetically modified crop plants and their related species: introgression and weediness |
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Authors: | H DARMENCY |
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Institution: | Laboratoire de Malherbologie, INRA, BV1540, 21034 Dijon Cédex, France |
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Abstract: | Assessing the impact of hybrids between transgenic plants and nontarget wild species involves answering several questions such as: (i) what are the hybridization and introgression rates; (ii) what is the behaviour of a transgene in a wild population; and (iii) what will be the consequences of the expression of a transgene in a wild population? These issues are discussed using results from experiments on oilseed rape and wild related Brassiceae. Evidence is given of large variations in the estimates of cross-fertilization probabilities. The first stage of introgression into wild populations is demonstrated to occur spontaneously through back-crossing. Population analysis may also be valuable to detect traces of past introgression. Data from the literature on weed biology, and especially herbicide resistance, are used to illustrate the behaviour of a new gene in weed populations. The need for computer models simulating the introgression process is stressed. |
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Keywords: | hybridization introgression risk assessment transgenic crops weeds |
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