转基因作物发展及应用概述

21世纪是生物技术的世纪,加快转基因技术研发已成为世界各国增强核心竞争力的战略决策。介绍了全球转基因作物的研发、种植及应用状况。农业生物技术产业进入全球化布局的新阶段,各国纷纷规划和布局,以期在渐趋垄断的技术与市场中争得先机。经过20年的发展,我国在生物技术研发领域已取得长足进步,抗虫棉大面积推广,产生了良好的经济效益和社会效益。但受消极舆论环境等因素的影响,推动其他转基因作物产业化的进程缓慢。我国是一个人口大国,粮食供需矛盾突出,大力发展生物技术产业是我国未来的必然选择。我国一方面要在确保安全的基础上坚持走自主创新之路;另一方面政府要建立及时的信息披漏机制,营造良好的舆论环境,从国计民生出发,在科学的基础上自主决策,推动我国生物技术产业的健康、有序发展。     

朱镕基总理考察中国农业科学院

2001年1月11日,中共中央政治局常委、国务院总理朱镕基在农业部部长陈耀邦和中国农业科学院院长吕飞杰的陪同下,考察了中国农科院生物技术研究所,并看望了农业科技工作者。朱总理听取了吕院长的院工作汇报,观看了国家863计划重大项目“转基因抗虫棉”研制、推广录像,了解并询问了转基因抗虫棉研制、推广中的问题和困难,参观了植物基因工程实验室。朱总理充分肯定了我国农业科学技术事业取得的成就,高度评价了农业科技工作者独立育成的、具有国际先进水平的双价转基因抗虫棉,提出要加快大面积推广抗虫棉的步伐,全面提升我国棉花品质…     

中国转基因作物风险评估技术研究进展

现代生物技术的发展为利用外源基因培育优良作物品种提供了新的途径,目前国内外已培育出多个高抗害虫的转基因作物。但是,人们对转基因作物潜在的风险尚存在疑问,这是目前转基因作物是否能进一步获准商品化生产的一个重要原因。综述了中国转基因作物研究和转基因产品安全性检测技术取得的主要进展,对我国转基因作物的研究前景进行了展望,并对将来的工作提出了几点建议。     

我国转基因作物研发重点与支持对策探讨

作物基因工程是农业生物技术的重点领域之一,也是我国推进现代种业发展的战略选择。文章分析了我国作物转基因研发目前存在的主要差距与实现更大发展的可能性,提出今后加大支持的研发重点建议,旨在探讨加快推进我国转基因作物研发、提升研发投入成效的对策建议。     

转基因作物将为我国农业发展注入新动力

随着基因组学研究和生物技术的不断突破,应用生物技术改良农作物品种正成为引发新的农业技术革命的关键。由于转基因品种在生产上表现出的巨大效益,其研发和产业化在全球迅猛发展,并逐渐成为世界各国抢占的生物技术制高点。本文从转基因技术的内涵、国际转基因作物的研发态势、我国转基因作物的研发和产业化现状等方面进行阐述,探讨了大力发展转基因作物对于解决我国目前农业生产上面临的挑战、保障我国粮食安全和农业可持续发展的重要意义。     

转基因抗虫棉后时代棉花科技问题思考

简述我国转基因抗虫棉研发的意义,分析转基因抗虫棉成功产业化以来棉花科技本身和生产上的基本问题,指出转基因抗虫棉促进了我国棉花生产高产稳产的发展,但是发展中也遇到了一系列的新问题,如抗虫资源的过度使用,遗传背景的匮乏,次生害虫的演变,农业现代化的新要求等。分析转基因抗虫棉后时代我国棉花科技取得新的重大突破的可能性。指出棉花科技要坚持生物技术为先导,在超高产的前提下,以品质改良和综合抗性为突破口,再创棉花生物技术研发的高峰,促进棉花生产再上新台阶。     

中国转基因水稻的研究进展及产业化问题分析

水稻在我国粮食生产和消费中占有重要地位,也是世界上最重要的粮食作物之一。水稻转基因研究已成为当前国内外植物分子生物学和作物育种研究的热点。目前我国转基因水稻研究处于国际领先水平,有望成为转基因抗虫棉之后又一个进入产业化的转基因粮食作物,这可能将在确保我国粮食安全中发挥重要贡献。从国内外转基因水稻研发概况、我国Bt抗虫水稻生物安全评价两方面综述了我国转基因水稻产业化的前景,并在此基础上对产业化提出相关建议与对策。     

大豆转基因育种及产业化发展

转基因技术是现代生物技术研究的热点之一,转基因作物种植已经成为全球普及最为迅速的生物技术.转基因大豆是目前种植区域最广、种植面积最大的转基因作物,已成为世界大豆主产国大豆产业发展的主要动力.中国的大豆产量居世界第四位,但转基因大豆育种的研究尚处于起步阶段,在转基因大豆产业化发展方面潜力巨大.我国应该充分利用现代生物技术的成果,借鉴国外转基因大豆的发展经验,立足本国实际,在农业转基因生物安全管理相关法律法规下,建立和健全我国转基因大豆育种及其产业化发展体系,大力发展转基因大豆,提升我国大豆产业的市场竞争力.本文概述了我国转基因大豆的研究现状以及国际转基因大豆的研发趋势,分析了我国转基因大豆发展所面临的挑战并提出了应对策略.     

慎重对待转基因作物

转基因作物是当今世界各国现代生物技术产业研究的热点。本文介绍了我国转基因作物研发和应用的现状,对转基因作物存在的潜在危害及其对人类可持续性发展的负面影响进行了分析,并对我国转基因作物的安全管理提出了几点建议。     

转基因生物技术的知识产权保护

转基因生物技术是现代农业生物技术的重要着力点,其自研发以来不断发展,已在多种作物上成功应用,且培育品种日趋多样化。转基因作物种植面积急剧增加,种植国家也逐年增多。目前转基因生物技术水平较高的国家,其知识产权保护水平也往往较高。而我国转基因植物、动物和其他微生物材料,无法通过我国现行的《专利法》、《植物新品种保护条例》获得有效保护,阻挠了转基因生物技术创新发展,更影响到整个国家的粮食安全和农业安全。     

Agricultural biotechnology and smallholder farmers in developing countries

Agricultural biotechnology holds much potential to contribute towards crop productivity gains and crop improvement for smallholder farmers in developing countries. Over 14 million smallholder farmers are already benefiting from biotech crops such as cotton and maize in China, India and other Asian, African and Central/South American countries. Molecular breeding can accelerate crop improvement timescales and enable greater use of diversity of gene sources. Little impact has been realized to date with fruits and vegetables because of development timescales for molecular breeding and development and regulatory costs and political considerations facing biotech crops in many countries. Constraints to the development and adoption of technology-based solutions to reduce yield gaps need to be overcome. Full integration with broader commercial considerations such as farmer access to seed distribution systems that facilitate dissemination of improved varieties and functioning markets for produce are critical for the benefits of agricultural biotechnology to be fully realized by smallholders. Public-private partnerships offer opportunities to catalyze new approaches and investment while accelerating integrated research and development and commercial supply chain-based solutions.     

Attitudes in China about Crops and Foods Developed by Biotechnology

Transgenic Bt cotton has been planted in China since 1997 and, in 2009, biosafety certificates for the commercial production of Bt rice and phytase corn were issued by the Chinese government. The public attitude in China toward agricultural biotechnology and genetically modified (GM) crops and foods has received considerable attention worldwide. We investigated the attitudes of consumers, Bt cotton farmers and scientists in China regarding GM crops and foods and the factors influencing their attitudes. Data were collected using interview surveys of consumer households, farmer households and scientists. A discrete choice approach was used to elicit the purchase intentions of the respondents. Two separate probit models were developed to examine the effect of various factors on the choices of the respondents. Bt cotton farmers had a very positive attitude because Bt cotton provided them with significant economic benefits. Chinese consumers from developed regions had a higher acceptance and willingness to pay for GM foods than consumers in other regions. The positive attitude toward GM foods by the scientific community will help to promote biotechnology in China in the future. Our survey emphasized that educational efforts made by government officials, the media and scientists can facilitate the acceptance of GM technology in China. Further educational efforts will be critical for influencing consumer attitudes and decisions of government agencies in the future. More effective educational efforts by government agencies and public media concerning the scientific facts and safety of GM foods would enhance the acceptance of GM crops in China.     

Genetically engineered vegetables expressing proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis for insect resistance: successes, disappointments, challenges and ways to move forward

Genetically engineered (GE) insect-resistant crops that express proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) have been widely adopted in the two field crops currently commercially available, Bt cotton and Bt corn. However, the development and commercialization of Bt vegetables has lagged in comparison, which is unfortunate since vegetables tend to be insecticide-intensive crops due to high pest pressure and cosmetic standards required for the market. While it is often stated that consumer choice has played a major role in companies avoiding development of Bt vegetables, this concept requires re-evaluation. In market studies in North America when consumers have been provided basic information about Bt genetic engineering, then given a choice between Bt and conventional sweet corn, they have often preferred the former. Likewise, 77% of consumers in a US survey said they would likely purchase foods produced through biotechnology for their ability to reduce pesticide use. Presently, however, the only commercialized Bt vegetable is sweet corn. Perhaps more critical obstacles to Bt vegetables are their relatively smaller acreages and the cost of government biosafety regulations that inadvertently favor large acreage of field crops because companies can obtain a better return on investment. In developing countries, private-public partnerships may provide the vehicle to bring Bt vegetables to market. However, these can be subverted by misinformation from anti-biotech campaigns, as is the case with Bt eggplant in India. Without the use of Bt vegetables as a tool for integrated pest management, farmers and the general public will not be able to realize the substantial environmental and economic benefits that have been well documented with Bt cotton and Bt corn.     

Indian farmers need help to feed over 1.5 billion people in 2030

In view of the enormous challenge and pressure on farmers to feed 9 billion plus people and billions of animals who are going to be living in our planet in 2050, new technologies must be invented, assessed and adapted. Farmer welfare and provision of resources required for their work is of paramount importance. India has benefited from Bt cotton technology and will certainly benefit from other biotech crops that have been carefully developed and assessed for consumption and environmental safety.     

Advances in plant biotechnology and its adoption in developing countries

Developing countries are already benefiting and should continue to benefit significantly from advances in plant biotechnology. Insect-protected cotton containing a natural insecticide protein from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt cotton) is providing millions of farmers with increased yields, reduced insecticide costs and fewer health risks. Many other useful plant biotechnology products that can benefit poor farmers and consumers are in the research and development pipelines of institutions in developing countries, and should soon reach farmers' fields.     

Does expression of Bt toxin matter in farmer's pesticide use?

Despite the widespread adoption of Bt cotton, farmers still spray excessive pesticides in their cotton fields. In contrast to scientists who always use high quality seeds in the laboratory and/or experimental fields, farmers may plant low quality seeds with a low expression of Bt toxin. How does the expression of Bt toxin influence farmers' pesticide use? On the basis of a plot‐level survey and laboratory test data, this study shows that pesticide use on one cotton plot is influenced not only by the expression of Bt crops in this plot, but also by the average expression in the village in the early stage of the cotton growing season. In other words, high expression of Bt toxin benefits not only the farmers who plant the varieties but also all the other villagers.     

Early warning of cotton bollworm resistance associated with intensive planting of Bt cotton in China

Transgenic crops producing Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxins kill some key insect pests, but evolution of resistance by pests can reduce their efficacy. The predominant strategy for delaying pest resistance to Bt crops requires refuges of non-Bt host plants to promote survival of susceptible pests. To delay pest resistance to transgenic cotton producing Bt toxin Cry1Ac, farmers in the United States and Australia planted refuges of non-Bt cotton, while farmers in China have relied on "natural" refuges of non-Bt host plants other than cotton. Here we report data from a 2010 survey showing field-evolved resistance to Cry1Ac of the major target pest, cotton bollworm (Helicoverpa armigera), in northern China. Laboratory bioassay results show that susceptibility to Cry1Ac was significantly lower in 13 field populations from northern China, where Bt cotton has been planted intensively, than in two populations from sites in northwestern China where exposure to Bt cotton has been limited. Susceptibility to Bt toxin Cry2Ab did not differ between northern and northwestern China, demonstrating that resistance to Cry1Ac did not cause cross-resistance to Cry2Ab, and implying that resistance to Cry1Ac in northern China is a specific adaptation caused by exposure to this toxin in Bt cotton. Despite the resistance detected in laboratory bioassays, control failures of Bt cotton have not been reported in China. This early warning may spur proactive countermeasures, including a switch to transgenic cotton producing two or more toxins distinct from Cry1A toxins.     

Spatial processes in the evolution of resistance in Helicoverpa zea (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) to Bt transgenic corn and cotton in a mixed agroecosystem: a biology-rich stochastic simulation model

A simulation model is developed to examine the role of spatial processes in the evolution of resistance in Helicoverpa zea populations to Bt corn and Bt cotton. The model is developed from the stochastic spatially explicit Heliothis virescens model described by Peck et al. (1999), to accommodate a spatial mix of two host crops (corn and cotton), and to reflect the agronomic practices, as well as the spatial and temporal population dynamics of H. zea, in eastern North Carolina. The model suggests that selection for resistance is more intense in Bt cotton fields than in Bt corn fields. It further suggests that local gene frequencies are highly dependent on local deployment levels of Bt crops despite the high mobility of the adult insects. Region-wide average gene frequencies depend on the region-wide level of Bt deployment, so incomplete technology adoption slows the rate of resistance evolution. However, on a local scale, H. zea populations in clusters of fields in which Bt use is high undergo far more rapid evolution than populations in neighboring clusters of fields in which Bt use is low. The model suggests that farm-level refuge requirements are important for managing the risk of resistance. The model can be used as an aid in designing plans for monitoring for resistance by suggesting the appropriate distribution of monitoring locations, which should focus on areas of highest Bt crop deployment. The findings need to be placed in the context of the input parameters, many of which are uncertain or highly variable in nature, and therefore, a thorough sensitivity analysis is warranted.     

The income and production effects of biotech crops globally 1996-2010

A critical feature in evaluating the global value of crop biotechnology in agriculture must include an assessment of its economic impact at the farm level. This paper follows earlier studies which examined economic impacts on yields, key costs of production, direct farm income, indirect (non-pecuniary) farm level income effects and impacts on the production base of the four main crops of soybeans, corn, cotton and canola. The commercialization of biotech crops is continuing to proceed rapidly, with significant changes in the overall level of adoption and impact taking place in 2010. This updated analysis shows that there have been substantial net economic benefits at the farm level amounting to $14 billion in 2010 and $78.4 billion for the 15-year period (in nominal terms). The non-pecuniary benefits associated with the use of the technology have also had a positive impact on adoption (in the US accounting for the equivalent of 22% of the total US direct farm income benefit). Biotech crops are, moreover, making important contributions to increasing global production levels of the four main crops. They have, for example, now added 97.5 million tons and 159 million tons respectively, to the global production of soybeans and corn since the introduction of the technology in the mid-1990s.     

Evolution of resistance to transgenic crops: interactions between insect movement and field distribution

The refuge strategy is designed to delay evolution of pest resistance to transgenic crops producing Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner (Bt) toxins. Movement of insects between Bt crops and refuges of non-Bt crops is essential for the refuge strategy because it increases chances that resistant adults mate with susceptible adults from refuges. Conclusions about optimal levels of movement for delaying resistance are not consistent among previous modeling studies. To clarify the effects of movement on resistance evolution, we analyzed simulations of a spatially explicit model based partly on the interaction of pink bollworm, Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders), with Bt cotton. We examined resistance evolution as a function of insect movement under 12 sets of assumptions about the relative abundance of Bt cotton (50 and 75%), temporal distribution of Bt cotton and refuge fields (fixed, partial rotation, and full rotation), and spatial distribution of fields (random and uniform). The results show that interactions among the relative abundance and distribution of refuges and Bt cotton fields can alter the effects of movement on resistance evolution. The results also suggest that differences in conclusions among previous studies can be explained by differences in assumptions about the relative abundance and distribution of refuges and Bt crop fields. With fixed field locations and all Bt cotton fields adjacent to at least one refuge, resistance evolved slowest with low movement. However, low movement and fixed field locations favored rapid resistance evolution when some Bt crop fields were isolated from refuges. When refuges and Bt cotton fields were rotated to the opposite crop type each year, resistance evolved fastest with low movement. Nonrecessive inheritance of resistance caused rapid resistanceevolution regardless of movement rate. Confirming previous reports, results described here show that resistance can be delayed effectively by fixing field locations and distributing refuges uniformly to ensure that Bt crop fields are not isolated from refuges. However, rotating fields provided better insect control and reduced the need for insecticide sprays.