TY - JOUR
T1 - The establishment of genetically engineered canola populations in the U.S.
AU - Schafer, Meredith G.
AU - Ross, Andrew A.
AU - Londo, Jason P.
AU - Burdick, Connie A.
AU - Lee, E. Henry
AU - Travers, Steven E.
AU - van de Water, Peter K.
AU - Sagers, Cynthia L.
PY - 2011/10/5
Y1 - 2011/10/5
N2 - Concerns regarding the commercial release of genetically engineered (GE) crops include naturalization, introgression to sexually compatible relatives and the transfer of beneficial traits to native and weedy species through hybridization. To date there have been few documented reports of escape leading some researchers to question the environmental risks of biotech products. In this study we conducted a systematic roadside survey of canola (Brassica napus) populations growing outside of cultivation in North Dakota, USA, the dominant canola growing region in the U.S. We document the presence of two escaped, transgenic genotypes, as well as non-GE canola, and provide evidence of novel combinations of transgenic forms in the wild. Our results demonstrate that feral populations are large and widespread. Moreover, flowering times of escaped populations, as well as the fertile condition of the majority of collections suggest that these populations are established and persistent outside of cultivation.
AB - Concerns regarding the commercial release of genetically engineered (GE) crops include naturalization, introgression to sexually compatible relatives and the transfer of beneficial traits to native and weedy species through hybridization. To date there have been few documented reports of escape leading some researchers to question the environmental risks of biotech products. In this study we conducted a systematic roadside survey of canola (Brassica napus) populations growing outside of cultivation in North Dakota, USA, the dominant canola growing region in the U.S. We document the presence of two escaped, transgenic genotypes, as well as non-GE canola, and provide evidence of novel combinations of transgenic forms in the wild. Our results demonstrate that feral populations are large and widespread. Moreover, flowering times of escaped populations, as well as the fertile condition of the majority of collections suggest that these populations are established and persistent outside of cultivation.
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U2 - 10.1371/journal.pone.0025736
DO - 10.1371/journal.pone.0025736
M3 - Article
C2 - 21998689
AN - SCOPUS:80053601693
SN - 1932-6203
VL - 6
JO - PloS one
JF - PloS one
IS - 10
M1 - e25736
ER -