Dataset Information

Impact of genetically engineered maize on agronomic, environmental and toxicological traits: a meta-analysis of 21 years of field data.

ABSTRACT: Despite the extensive cultivation of genetically engineered (GE) maize and considerable number of scientific reports on its agro-environmental impact, the risks and benefits of GE maize are still being debated and concerns about safety remain. This meta-analysis aimed at increasing knowledge on agronomic, environmental and toxicological traits of GE maize by analyzing the peer-reviewed literature (from 1996 to 2016) on yield, grain quality, non-target organisms (NTOs), target organisms (TOs) and soil biomass decomposition. Results provided strong evidence that GE maize performed better than its near isogenic line: grain yield was 5.6 to 24.5% higher with lower concentrations of mycotoxins (-28.8%), fumonisin (-30.6%) and thricotecens (-36.5%). The NTOs analyzed were not affected by GE maize, except for Braconidae, represented by a parasitoid of European corn borer, the target of Lepidoptera active Bt maize. Biogeochemical cycle parameters such as lignin content in stalks and leaves did not vary, whereas biomass decomposition was higher in GE maize. The results support the cultivation of GE maize, mainly due to enhanced grain quality and reduction of human exposure to mycotoxins. Furthermore, the reduction of the parasitoid of the target and the lack of consistent effects on other NTOs are confirmed.

SUBMITTER: Pellegrino E

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5814441 | biostudies-other | 2018 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other

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Impact of genetically engineered maize on agronomic, environmental and toxicological traits: a meta-analysis of 21 years of field data.

Pellegrino Elisa E Bedini Stefano S Nuti Marco M Ercoli Laura L

Scientific reports 20180215 1

Despite the extensive cultivation of genetically engineered (GE) maize and considerable number of scientific reports on its agro-environmental impact, the risks and benefits of GE maize are still being debated and concerns about safety remain. This meta-analysis aimed at increasing knowledge on agronomic, environmental and toxicological traits of GE maize by analyzing the peer-reviewed literature (from 1996 to 2016) on yield, grain quality, non-target organisms (NTOs), target organisms (TOs) and ...[more]

PMID: 29449686

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Project description:In European regulations for the deliberate release into the environment of genetically modified organisms (GMO), the objective of General Surveillance in Post-Market Environmental Monitoring is defined as the identification of the occurrence of adverse effects of the GMO or its use which were not anticipated in the environmental risk assessment (ERA). Accompanying the commercial cultivation in the EU of maize event MON 810, General Surveillance was implemented by Monsanto, the authorization holder, on a voluntary basis. We carried out a statistical analysis on the pooled results of ten years of farmer questionnaires, which were a part of this General Surveillance, amounting to 2,627 farmer fields in eight European countries in the period 2006-2015. This analysis did not reveal any unexpected adverse effects associated with the cultivation of MON 810. Results from farmer questionnaires confirmed that the cultivation of MON 810 resulted in a significant reduction in the use of pesticides, efficient protection against the target pests, and healthier, higher yielding crops compared to conventional maize. MON 810 also had reduced susceptibility to disease and pests when compared to conventional maize. Monitoring characteristics related to environment and wildlife revealed no significant differences between MON 810 and conventional maize. Literature searches, that were also conducted as part of General Surveillance, identified a comprehensive set of publications addressing environmental safety as well as food and feed safety aspects of MON 810. None of the publications indicated any adverse effect of MON 810 that was not anticipated in the initial ERA, nor did they lead to a change in the conclusions of the initial risk assessment that demonstrated the safety of MON 810. The development of resistance by the target pests (Ostrinia nubilalis, ECB and Sesamia nonagrioides, MCB) was the only potential adverse effect identified in the ERA of MON 810 cultivation in the EU. The extensive safety data package for MON 810, the robust weight of evidence demonstrating both its safety and benefits, and the history of safe use of MON 810 for 15 years in the EU, indicates that focussing the General Surveillance of MON 810 on literature searches and farmer complaint systems would be appropriately protective. This will allow the identification of potential adverse effect not anticipated in the initial ERA without the intensive effort and organizational challenges of farmer questionnaires.

Project description:BACKGROUNDRoot systems play important roles in crop growth and stress responses. Although genetic mechanism of root traits in maize (Zea mays L.) has been investigated in different mapping populations, root traits have rarely been utilized in breeding programs. Elucidation of the genetic basis of maize root traits and, more importantly, their connection to other agronomic trait(s), such as grain yield, may facilitate root trait manipulation and maize germplasm improvement. In this study, we analyzed genome-wide genetic loci for maize seedling root traits at three time-points after seed germination to identify chromosomal regions responsible for both seedling root traits and other agronomic traits in a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population (Zong3?×?Yu87-1).RESULTSEight seedling root traits were examined at 4, 9, and 14 days after seed germination, and thirty-six putative quantitative trait loci (QTLs), accounting for 9.0-23.2% of the phenotypic variation in root traits, were detected. Co-localization of root trait QTLs was observed at, but not between, the three time-points. We identified strong or moderate correlations between root traits controlled by each co-localized QTL region. Furthermore, we identified an overlap in the QTL locations of seedling root traits examined here and six other traits reported previously in the same RIL population, including grain yield-related traits, plant height-related traits, and traits in relation to stress responses. Maize chromosomal bins 1.02-1.03, 1.07, 2.06-2.07, 5.05, 7.02-7.03, 9.04, and 10.06 were identified QTL hotspots for three or four more traits in addition to seedling root traits.CONCLUSIONSOur identification of co-localization of root trait QTLs at, but not between, each of the three time-points suggests that maize seedling root traits are regulated by different sets of pleiotropic-effect QTLs at different developmental stages. Furthermore, the identification of QTL hotspots suggests the genetic association of seedling root traits with several other traits and reveals maize chromosomal regions valuable for marker-assisted selection to improve root systems and other agronomic traits simultaneously.

Dataset Information

Impact of genetically engineered maize on agronomic, environmental and toxicological traits: a meta-analysis of 21 years of field data.

Publications

Impact of genetically engineered maize on agronomic, environmental and toxicological traits: a meta-analysis of 21 years of field data.

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