Outcrossing potential between 11 important genetically modified crops and the Chilean vascular flora

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Genetics
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Genetically modified (GM) crops raise concerns regarding biodiversity and environmental risk assessment (ERA).
• Pollen-mediated gene flow and outcrossing likelihood depend on species biology and are key factors in ERA.
• Chile's diverse flora presents a unique context for evaluating GM crop interactions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the national-scale likelihood of outcrossing between 11 GM crops and vascular plants in Chile.
• To develop an analytical tool for environmental risk assessment of GM crop releases.
• To identify potential risks associated with gene flow from GM crops to native and introduced relatives.

Main Methods:

• Compilation of a systematized database of 3505 introduced, 4993 native, and 257 cultivated plant species in Chile.
• Inclusion of geographical distributions and biological/agronomical characteristics for each species.
• Development of an outcrossing potential (OP) scale (1-5) to quantify interaction risks.

Main Results:

• Only potato and tomato GM crops have native relatives (66 species total).
• Introduced relatives varied, with sugar beet, alfalfa, canola, tomato, and potato having the most (2-7).
• Outcrossing potential varied from low (GM-introduced noncultivated) to high (grape-Vitis vinifera GM-introduced cultivated).

Conclusions:

• GM crop outcrossing potential in Chile is influenced by the presence and type of relatives (native vs. introduced).
• An analytical tool was developed to aid in future environmental risk assessments for GM crop releases.
• The study highlights the importance of species-specific data for evaluating the ecological impact of GM crops.