Commercialization of Transgenic Plants: Potential Ecological Risks

Abstract

it h rhe development of recombinant DNA rechniques, plant breeders now have access to an astounding numher of useful genes that can be inserted into the plant genome. Virtually all commercially importanr plants are being considered for this type of improvement, and the an-Dual number of fie ld tes ts of transgenic erop varieties IS increasing exponentially (Figure As of 1996, severa] transgenic erop plants have already been approved for commercial release in the United Stares, induding disease-resistant squash, herbicide-resistanr soybean, and insect-resistant potato and cotton. Many more crop varieties are nearly ready for commercialization. At this rate of development, the majority of a11 widely culrivared plants in the Uni red Stares may possess geneticallv engineered traits within the next few deeades.