Global status of gene

technology in horticulture
Paula Fitzgerald
Chief Executive Officer
Agrifood Awareness Australia
Food challenge Food challenge
The last ten years:
Global population 13% increase
Global income 35% increase
This has driven demand for:
Meat up 25%
Corn up 32%
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Corn up 32%
Soybeans up 59%
By 2025 global food output must increase by
about 75%. By then we will need:
2.8 billion tonnes of cereals
5.3 billion tonnes of other crops
1.6 billion tonnes of animal products
Role of gene technology?
GM crop adoption GM crop adoption
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GM crops in perspective GM crops in perspective
In 2010, 148 million hectares were grown
around the world by 15.4 million farmers in 29
countries
This represents and 87-fold increase since GM
crops were first commercialised in 1996
Of the four top GM crops:
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Of the four top GM crops:
More than 75 per cent of the 90 million hectares of soy
grown was GM
GM cotton accounted for 64 per cent of the 33 million
hectares of cotton grown in the world
GM corn accounted for 29 per cent of the 158 million
hectares of global corn, and
GM canola accounted for more than 23 per cent of the
31 million hectares of canola.
GM crops in perspective GM crops in perspective
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GM crops GM crops wide use wide use
Country Area (million
hectares)
GM crops
USA 66.8 Corn, soybean, cotton, canola, sugarbeet, lucerne, papaya,
squash
Brazil 25.4 Soybean, corn, cotton
Argentina 22.9 Soybean, corn, cotton
India 9.4 Cotton
Canada 8.8 Canola, corn, soybean, sugarbeet
China 3.5 Cotton, papaya, poplar, tomato, sweet pepper
Paraguay 2.6 Soybean
Pakistan 2.4 Cotton
South Africa 2.2 Corn, soybean, cotton
Uruguay 1.1 Soybean, corn
Bolivia 0.9 Soybean
Australia 0.7 Cotton, canola
Philippines 0.5 Corn
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GM horticulture crops GM horticulture crops
limited use limited use
Country Area (million
hectares)
GM crops
USA 66.8 Corn, soybean, cotton, canola, sugarbeet, lucerne, papaya,
squash
China 3.5 Cotton, papaya, poplar, tomato, sweet pepper
Australia 0.7 Cotton, canola, carnation, rose
Czech
Republic
<0.05 Maize, potato
Sweden <0.05 Potato
Germany <0.05 Potato
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GM crops in Australia GM crops in Australia
Commercial crops:
GM cotton (1996) insect
resistant, herbicide tolerant and
insect resistant/herbicide tolerant
GM carnations (1996)
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GM carnations (1996)
blue/mauve colouring
GM canola (2008) herbicide
tolerant
GM rose (2009) blue/mauve
colour
Office of the Gene Technology Office of the Gene Technology
Regulator Regulator
Inter-Governmental Agreement, Gene Technology Act and
Regulations
GT Technical
Advisory Committee
Gene Technology
Standing Committee
GENE TECHNOLOGY MINISTERIAL COUNCIL
To protect the
health & safety of
people, and to
protect the
environment, by
identifying risks
9 9
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Advisory Committee
GT Ethics &
Community
Consultative
Committee
GENE TECHNOLOGY
REGULATOR
Office of the Gene
Technology Regulator
State & Territory
Technical
Regulatory
Consultation
ENVIRONMENT
MINISTER
APVMA AQIS FSANZ NICNAS TGA
LOCAL
COUNCILS
Provide advice at request of
Ministerial Council or Regulator
identifying risks
posed by, or as a
result of, gene
technology and by
managing those
risks through
regulating certain
dealings with
GMOs
The Act The Act
Matters covered by the Act
live and viable GMOs
research, manufacture, production,
breeding, import
Matters not covered by the Act
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Matters not covered by the Act
cost/benefit considerations
comparisons with alternative
technologies
marketing and marketability
intellectual property
human beings and cloning
A national system? A national system?
NSW GM cotton
grown since 1996 and
GM canola since 2008.
Legislated moratorium
QLD
Commonwealth
legislation only (no
moratorium)
NT Commonwealth legislation
only (no moratorium)
WA GM Crop Free
Area (excluding GM
cotton in the Ord & GM
canola
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Legislated moratorium
on commercial GM food
crops until 2011 unless
approved by the
Minister for Agriculture.
SA Legislated moratorium on
commercial GM food crops until
2019
TAS Legislated
moratorium on the
commercial release of
GMOs until 2014
ACT Legislated
moratorium on commercial
GM food crops until 2006+
VIC Commonwealth
legislation only
(no moratorium)
GM crops under development GM crops under development
Bananas disease resistance, increased nutrition
Cotton insect resistance, herbicide tolerance,
altered fatty acid composition (cottonseed oil),
waterlogging tolerance
Perennial ryegrass & tall fescue improved
forage (altered lignin and fructan)
Rose altered colour
Sugarcane - altered plant growth, enhanced
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Sugarcane - altered plant growth, enhanced
drought tolerance, enhanced nitrogen use
efficiency, altered sucrose accumulation, improved
cellulosic ethanol production from biomass, altered
sugar production
Wheat altered grain composition, drought
tolerance
Wheat & barley enhanced nutrient utilisation,
altered grain starch composition, enhanced
tolerance to abiotic stress, increase beta glucan
levels
White clover virus resistance (AMV)
Commodity Organisation Modification Licence
Issue Date
Banana Queensland University
of Technology
Disease resistance 12/01/11
Current
Banana Queensland University
of Technology
Disease resistance 11/07/08
Current
Banana Queensland University Increased levels of pro-vitamin 28/04/08
Horticulture Horticulture -- GM field GM field
trials in Australia trials in Australia
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Banana Queensland University
of Technology
Increased levels of pro-vitamin
A, vitamin E or iron.
28/04/08
Current
Grapevine CSIRO Expression of modified colour,
sugar composition, and
flowering and fruit
development
18/06/03
Current
Pineapple Queensland
Department of Primary
Industries
Reduction of blackheart and
delayed flowering
19/06/03
Current
Papaya University of
Queensland
Delayed fruit ripening 17/06/03
Current
GM crops GM crops three stages?... three stages?...
Regulatory approval (human
health, environment)

Market & trade
considerations
Consumer understanding
and acceptance
Ongoing Ongoing
Ongoing Ongoing
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GM food GM food labelling labelling
GM food
labelling:
Overseen by our food
regulator - Food
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regulator - Food
Standards Australia
New Zealand (FSANZ)
Based on final product
not process novel
DNA in final product.
Australias GM food Australias GM food
approvals to approvals to--date date
Soybean 7 approved, 4 pending
Canola 2 approved
Corn 19 approved, 2 pending
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Potato 3 approved
Sugarbeet 2 approved
Cotton 12 approved
Lucerne 1 approved
Rice 1 approved
Horticulture Horticulture GM crop GM crop
commercial approvals commercial approvals
Commodity Country Modification
Capsicum China Virus resistant
Papaya USA
China
Virus resistant
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Petunia China Modified colour
Plum USA Virus resistant
Potato USA
Russia
Insect resistance
(various)
Potato European Union Modified amylase
Commodity Country Modification
Potato USA Virus resistant/insect
resistant (various)
Rockmelon USA Delayed
ripening/altered shelf
Horticulture Horticulture GM crop GM crop
commercial approvals commercial approvals
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life
Rose Australia
Colombia
Altered colour
Squash USA Virus resistant
Tomato China
Mexico
USA
Delayed ripening
(various)
Tomato USA Insect resistant
Horticulture GM crops in Horticulture GM crops in
field trials field trials -- USA USA
Commodity Modification Developer
Apple Non-browning Okanagan
Specialty Fruits
Peanut Sclerotina blight Virginia tech
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Peanut Sclerotina blight
resistant
Virginia tech
Rose Altered colour Florigene
Novel projects Novel projects USA USA
Government-funded:
Increased carotenoid and Vitamin A levels in
corn and tomato.
Developing new carrot and garlic varieties
with increased carotenoid levels and
bioavailability.
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bioavailability.
Developing high-folate potatoes.
Orange, red and purple potatoes richer in
antioxidants.
University-based:
Low acrylamide potatoes acrylamide has
been linked to cancer.
Horticulture GM crops in Horticulture GM crops in
the pipeline the pipeline -- EU EU
Commodity Modification Country
Potato Heat stress
resistant
Spain
Apple Scab resistant Netherlands
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Apple Scab resistant Netherlands
Potato Altered starch
(various)
Czech
Republic
Finland
Germany
Netherlands
Sweden
Spain
Plum Virus resistant Romania
Horticulture GM crops in Horticulture GM crops in
the pipeline the pipeline EU EU
Commodity Modification Country
Potato Late blight
resistant
Sweden
Netherlands
UK
Potato Cyst nematode UK
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Potato Cyst nematode
resistant
UK
Grapevine Virus resistant France
Potato Pharmaceutical
and technical
traits
Germany
Apple and Pear GM and
conventional
rootstock
comparisons
Sweden
Horticulture GM crops in Horticulture GM crops in
the pipeline the pipeline EU EU
Commodity Modification Country
Orange Fruit aroma
modification
Spain
Orange Plant arhcitecture, Spain
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Orange Plant arhcitecture,
flowering and fruiting
Spain
Orange Phytophthora
tolerance
Spain
Orange Flower time
modification
Spain
Cucumber Flavour and downy
mildew resistance
Poland
Plum Virus resistant Romania
Product in the spotlight Product in the spotlight
GM potato - Europe
Starch-modified potato (Amflora)was
developed by BASF Plant Science for use by
the starch industry.
Approved for commercial release in 2010.
Grown in Germany, Czech Republic and
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Grown in Germany, Czech Republic and
Sweden.
Conventional potatoes produce a mixture of
two starches, and only one of these is
desirable for starch applications. Amflora
therefore saves energy, resources and costs.
Product in the spotlight Product in the spotlight
GM eggplant - India
Insect-resistant eggplant developed by
Maharashtra Hybrid Seeds Company (Mahyco).
Approved in 2009 for commercial release.
Decision overruled by Environment Minister.
Decision ignores the fact that eggplants are
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Decision ignores the fact that eggplants are
sprayed with insecticides 27 times a season.
NGOs have been key in the Ministers decision.
An independent scientific, government panel
voted in favour of lifting the ban and allowing a
limited release in April 2011. No action to-date.
Product unnoticed?
In 1992, Papaya ringspot virus (PRSV) was
discovered in the district of Puna in Hawaii where
95% of Hawaii's papaya was grown.
Within 2 years, PRSV was widespread, causing
severe damage
Coincidentally, a field trial to test a PRSV-resistant
GM papaya had started in 1992. By 1995 'Rainbow' GM papaya had started in 1992. By 1995 'Rainbow'
and 'SunUp' transgenic cultivars had been
developed.
Cultivars were commercialized in 1998.
'Rainbow' is widely planted and has helped to save
the papaya industry from devastation by PRSV.
GM papaya have also been developed for other
countries, such as Thailand, Jamaica, Brazil, and
Venezuela. Approvals/deregulation ongoing
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In summary In summary
Almost every commodity sector in Australia
has an investment in GM
Gene technology is an important tool but its
not a magic bullet
Science-based decision making is critical, as
is case-by-case assessment
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R&D investment is important but it is
wasted without a path to market
Farmers should have the choice to access
approved GM crops
Market and trade considerations need to be
addressed
Whole-of-supply chain approach critical
2011 2011 -- working together working together
ABA
ACPFG
AIAST
AFAA
AGT
AusBiotech
Australian Oilseeds Federation
Australian Seed Federation
Bayer CropScience
CBWA
GTA
InterGrain
Kalyx Agriculture
Monsanto
National Farmers Federation
NSWFA
Nufarm
Nuseed
Pacific Seeds
PGA
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CBWA
CBH
Cotton Australia
Cotton Catchment CRC
Cargill
COGGO
CropLife Australia
Dairy industry
Dow AgroSciences
GIWA
Grain Growers Association
Graincorp
Grain Producers Australia
GRDC
PGA
Pioneer
Producers Forum
Riverland
SABC
SAFF
Sugar industry
Stock Feed Manufacturers Council
of Australia
Syngenta
VFF
Viterra
WA Farmers
WA Oilseeds
Further information Further information
Paula Fitzgerald
Chief Executive Officer
Agrifood Awareness Australia Limited
Website: www.afaa.com.au www.afaa.com.au
Email: info@afaa.com.au
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Email: info@afaa.com.au
Telephone: 02 6273 9535
Agrifood Awareness Australia Limited is an industry initiative established to
increase public awareness of, and encourage informed debate and decision
making about gene technology. The organisation has three founding
members - CropLife Australia, the Grains Research and Development
Corporation, and the National Farmers Federation. The organisation's
activities are also supported by the sugar industry the Grain Growers
Association and through a project partnership with the red meat industry.
AFAA working partners AFAA working partners
Seed companies Farm associations:
-national & all states
Handlers &
marketers
-Graincorp (east)
-CBH (west)
Commodity
organisations:
-cattle, sheep,
wool, dairy, pork,
cotton,
canegrowers,
grain
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Life science
companies
-CBH (west)
-Cargill
-Viterra
-Queensland
Sugar
-Sugar Australia
Industry
associations
-Seed, oilseeds,
grains WA,
stockfeed
manufacturers,
lot feeders,
AusBiotech,
Grain Trade
Australia
AFGC
R&D providers
(public & private)
-CSIRO
-Depts of Ag
-BSES, AGT,
ACPFG
-Universities
-CRCs