Impacts of growing and utilising genetically modified crops and forages – a New Zealand perspective

Caradus, J. R.

doi:10.1080/00288233.2022.2077380

Cited by 11 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 131 publications

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“…However, a potentially intractable challenge in delivering this technology will be gaining regulatory approval for its release from containment for general use in grazed pastures. While it has been argued (Lee & Giesbrecht, 2021;Roberts, 2018) that genetically modified plants are no less safe than those bred traditionally and are delivering increased efficiencies and benefits, there is still a reluctance to accept these modern breeding techniques as legitimate and of value (Caradus, 2022). Regulatory systems are outdated, technocratic and expensive, and rather than regulating the process the focus should be on regulating the benefit -risk issues associated with the end-product ) were used as biological replicates Czemmel et al, 2012;Gu et al, 2004;Naing & Kim, 2018) and as such, are considered beneficial in delivering health-promoting properties of plants used in human diets.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The hunt for the “holy grail”: Condensed tannins in the perennial forage legume white clover (Trifolium repens L.)

Caradus¹,

Voisey

Cousin³

et al. 2022

Grass and Forage Science

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Forage legumes such as white and red clover improve the nutritional quality of grazed pasture but can cause bloat. Their rapid fermentation in the rumen also contributes to environmental issues through higher methane emissions and urinary nitrogen losses. Condensed tannins are known to reduce urinary nitrogen and methane production from grazing animals, reduce bloat, reduce internal parasite burden, and improve animal productivity. Several forage legumes including birdsfoot trefoil and sainfoin do have good levels of condensed tannins but unfortunately these species fail to persist in intensively grazed pasture systems. Conventional breeding approaches including mutagenesis and phenotypic selection have failed to deliver condensed tannins in legumes, such as white clover, red clover or lucerne, that do persist under grazing. A recent advance using a molecular biology approach has identified a transcription factor or master switch that can 'turn on' the condensed tannin pathway present in white clover allowing biologically significant levels of condensed tannin expression in leaf tissue. In vitro tests have demonstrated that the condensed tannins produced in white clover leaves can bind protein at a pH 6.5, as found in the rumen, and then release them at pH 2.5, the pH in the abomasum, before entering the small intestine for amino acid absorption. Additional tests have demonstrated that these condensed tannins can reduce methane production by up to 15.7% in the first 6 h of incubation. The journey to this point, and the challenges ahead to deliver white clover cultivars with condensed tannin expression, is described.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The hunt for the “holy grail”: Condensed tannins in the perennial forage legume white clover (Trifolium repens L.)

Caradus¹,

Voisey

Cousin³

et al. 2022

Grass and Forage Science

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“… 286 Similarly, in New Zealand, under the jurisdiction of Food Standards Australia and New Zealand importation is permitted for at least 90 GM produced foods which can then be sold and consumed if labelled while farmers are not permitted to grow GM crops and forages including those produced using New Breeding Technologies. 3 The debate on the place of new technologies, including gene editing, in food production systems is underway 287 but will still require engagement by industry and government leaders.…”

Section: Differentiating Between Different Types Of Genetic Manipulationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…While some countries have begun re-evaluating their legislation and as a result, developed a position on how to manage and regulate (or not) products from New Breeding Technologies others are yet to do this. Some countries have food safety standards which allow importation and use of GM food, so long as it is labelled, but other regulations do not permit their farmers to grow and produce GM crops, as currently occurs in New Zealand 3 , 4 ; and Ecuador. 5 Additionally, there are situations where GM crops can be imported for animal feed, but again, other regulations do not permit their farmers to grow and produce GM crops, as occurs in Europe.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Processes for regulating genetically modified and gene edited plants

Caradus

2023

GM Crops & Food

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Innovation in agriculture has been essential in improving productivity of crops and forages to support a growing population, improving living standards while contributing toward maintaining environment integrity, human health, and wellbeing through provision of more nutritious, varied, and abundant food sources. A crucial part of that innovation has involved a range of techniques for both expanding and exploiting the genetic potential of plants. However, some techniques used for generating new variation for plant breeders to exploit are deemed higher risk than others despite end products of both processes at times being for all intents and purposes identical for the benefits they provide. As a result, public concerns often triggered by poor communication from innovators, resulting in mistrust and suspicion has, in turn, caused the development of a range of regulatory systems. The logic and motivations for modes of regulation used are reviewed and how the benefits from use of these technologies can be delivered more efficiently and effectively is discussed.

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“…Consumer concerns about using GM crops and forages in New Zealand has been reviewed (Caradus 2022b). It concludes that "while there will always be a proportion of consumers against the use of GM in food production, the published evidence would suggest that the use of GM plants in New Zealand for food production will have no long-term deleterious effects in overseas markets".…”

Section: Consumer Concernsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Genetic modification – benefits and risks for New Zealand grassland production systems

Caradus

2023

Journal of NZ Grasslands

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Fundamentally plant breeding is about expanding and exploiting the genetic potential of plants (Stoskopf et al. 2019). Over time this has included amongst others phenotypic selection, mutagenesis, genetic modification (GM) and now gene editing (Bowerman et al. 2023). In many crop species genetic modification has been a valuable option for delivering improved economic and environmental outcomes. However, while genetic modification has been extensively used in crops for 25 years it has rarely been a technology used to advance trait expression in forage and grassland species. Worldwide, GM technologies have been adopted at a faster rate than any other recent crop technology (Raman 2017; Scheitrum et al. 2020). Despite the large government investment into GM technologies for use in grass and forage plants it has not used outside of containment in New Zealand (Caradus 2008). The aim here is to review why New Zealand has been so reluctant to use GM technologies as another means of providing solutions for the pastoral sector. Traits manipulated using a range of genetic modification techniques that might have application and benefit in grassland systems will be reviewed, and regulatory concerns that need to be considered when adopting GM forage and pasture plants will be discussed. Interestingly, 70 to 90% of GM crop production globally is used for animal feed (Flachowsky et al. 2012; Ritchie and Roser 2021). So if animals across the world, including those in USA, China and Europe are being fed GM crops (Baulcombe et al. 2014) why would New Zealand be concerned about using GM pasture plants? Although over a decade old, a useful summary of views from a variety of stakeholders is provided by the New Zealand Institute of Agricultural & Horticultural Science (AgScience 2010).

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Impacts of growing and utilising genetically modified crops and forages – a New Zealand perspective

Cited by 11 publications

References 131 publications

The hunt for the “holy grail”: Condensed tannins in the perennial forage legume white clover (Trifolium repens L.)

The hunt for the “holy grail”: Condensed tannins in the perennial forage legume white clover (Trifolium repens L.)

Processes for regulating genetically modified and gene edited plants

Genetic modification – benefits and risks for New Zealand grassland production systems

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