Biosafety of RNA silencing and genome editing technologies in crop plants: Malaysian and Australian research perspectives

Abstract

Research in agricultural biotechnology can produce novel solutions to address the ever growing demand for food, feed, renewable materials and renewable energy using increasingly limited resources. Yet research is expensive with long timelines before implementation can disseminate the benefits to society, so there is a need to maximise co-operation and communication between scientists, stakeholders and their governments, to optimise research, its development and the implementation of research outcomes, into mainstream applications. Recognising the impacts of regulations on biosafety, biosecurity and intellectual property policy on strategies for research, senior and early career researchers from two research intensive universities in Malaysia and Australia, held a workshop to identify and to deliberate over two key areas of technology that offer much promise for agriculture, namely RNA silencing and genome editing. A major focus of the workshop was the regulation of new breeding technologies, and how the regulations need to take into account these new technologies. Themes discussed were the need for harmonisation of international legal frameworks and careful use of terminology, standards and guidelines; and the need for good communication and consensus within and between groups of stakeholders and law-makers. This mini-review highlights the deliberations and recommendations from the workshop.