Ecological Effects of Pest Resistance Genes in Managed Ecosystems
January 31 - February 3, 1999 Bethesda, Maryland
Organized by: Information Systems for Biotechnology
EDITORS:
Patricia L. Traynor, Information Systems for Biotechnology
James H. Westwood, Plant Pathology, Physiology, and Weed Science, Virginia
Polytechnic Institute and State University, Information Systems for
Biotechnology, 120 Engel Hall, Blacksburg VA 24061, tel: (540) 231-2620 / fax:
(540) 231-2614 / email: isb@vt.edu, http://www.isb.vt.edu
Table of Contents
Working Group Reports
Acknowledgements
- Report of the Berry Working Group
- Report of the Brassica Crops Working Group
- Report of the Cucurbit Working Group
- Report of the Grains Working Group
- Report of the Turfgrasses Working Group
- Report of the Poplar Working Group
- Report of the Sunflower Working Group
- OBSERVER & PARTICIPANT LIST
|
Print copies of this
Proceedings are available at no charge. |
The Editors wish to acknowledge the members of the Workshop Steering Committee, whose judicious guidance helped define the objectives and methodology of the program, and who were instrumental in assembling a superb group of participants.
|
Helen M. Alexander, University of Kansas |
Hector Quemada, Crop Technology Consulting, Inc. |
This workshop was sponsored by Information Systems for Biotechnology, a program funded at Virginia Tech by a grant from USDA’s Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service. Additional support from USDA/APHIS and BIO is gratefully acknowledged.
The idea for a highly focused, multi-disciplinary risk assessment workshop emerged from conversations with scientists, regulatory officials and members of public interest groups. Discussions about the environmental release of transgenic crops, either for field tests or for commercial use, seemed always to touch on what constitutes the basis for decisions, and how those decisions could be strengthened.
In 1989, the National Research Council published Field Testing Genetically Modified Organisms; Framework for Decisions, the so-called Green Book. Ten years later, it’s worth taking a look at one of the issues surrounding the use of genetically engineered crops—the impact of introducing pest resistance into crops, and the potential for related species to benefit by acquiring the trait. Combining our collective experience with conventional crops and what we know about engineered varieties brought into focus what we know now, and helped identify the gaps in our knowledge. From this came recommendations for experimental approaches that would generate the needed data.
Most participants found the multi-disciplinary science-based approach used in this workshop to be surprisingly effective in bridging gaps between participants from different disciplines, and in stimulating new ideas for research. This format could well serve as a model for similar evaluations of other risk issues associated with the commercial use of transgenic crops in the US and other countries. It is our hope that the reports in this volume will serve to support decision making at all levels and will stimulate greater interest in and funding for risk assessment research.
| If you have come to this page from an outside location click here to get back to mindfully.org |
