Pollen from transgenic crops is now known to have a much wider reach. This could spell disaster as the control of these resistant varieties-turned-weeds promises to be a tough job
POLLINATION brought about by the wind
is a common mode of plant reproduction. Scientists have now found that
pollen from commercial fields of transgenic crops spread further than was Previously believed (New, Scientist, Vol 148,
No 2003).
The list of irritants causing transboundary problems has increased with
genetically engineered plants joining the
others like acid rain. Environmentalists'
worst nightmares about the spread of
weeds to far- off places seem to be coming true.
A study conducted by scientists
Aileen Timmons and her colleagues
from the Scottish Crop Research
Institute near Dundee, Scotland,
revealed that pollen from transgenic
crop Fields could fertilise plants as far
away as 2.5 km from the area of origin.
This suggested that gene flow will travel
further and in much larger quantities
than was previously known.
The Scottish Study has disproved the
findings of a 1991 study conducted by
scientists front the Rothamstead
Experimental Station in Hertfordshire,
UK) which declared that pollen density
10 in from the edge of the field reduced
by about 50 per cent and at a distance of
100 in it fell further to 2-11 per cent.
The SCRI scientists conducted their
experiments in 10 ha commercial fields
of rapeseed. Their Study revealed that
the airborne pollen density reduced by
just 31 per cent at a distance of too in
from the edge of the field. Mike
Wilkinson of the Scottish team said,
"We have shown that pollen release and
dynamics are affected by field site. We
had earlier grossly underestimated the
scale of pollen release in a commercial
situation." The British team of scientists
had experimented in rapeseed fields
measuring only four ha.
The scientists are still not sure about
the seriousness of the situation, nor are
they aware about the end-result of the
absorption of these foreign genes. I he
problem could be massive if these resistant crop plants grew LIP to be weeds in
fields nurturing other crops.
Till further research is conducted to
certify the implications of this condition", scientists can only hope that
Carriers dealing with with transgenic
crop varieties are more careful in
managing their fields.
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