Abstract
Genetic engineering (GM) of crops, modified with DNA transfer between species, has been highly regulated for over two decades. Now, genome editing (GE) enables a range of DNA alterations, from single base pair changes to precise gene insertion with site-directed nucleases (SDNs). Past regulations, established according to the precautionary principle of avoiding potential risks to human health and the environment, are predicated on fears fanned by well-funded and emotional anti-GM campaigns. These fears ignore the safety record of GM crops over the last 25 years and the benefits of GM to crop productivity, disease and pest resistance, and the environment. GE is now superseding GM, and public education is needed about its benefits and its potential to meet the challenges of climate change for crops. World population will exceed 9 billion by 2050, and world CO2 levels are now over 400 ppm in contrast with a pre-industrial 280 ppm, leading to a projected 1.5 °C global warming by 2050, with more stressful crop environments. The required abiotic and biotic stress tolerances can be introgressed from crop wild relatives (CWR) into domestic crops via GE. Restrictive regulations need to be lifted to facilitate GE technologies for sustainable agriculture in Australia and the world.
Highlights
genetically modified (GM), and public education is needed about its benefits and its potential to meet the challenges of climate change for crops
GM crops could not be bred with conventional plant breeding, as this involves the transfer of genes between non-crossable, or very difficult to cross, crop wild relatives (CWR)
These regulations are based on the transfer of DNA from another species and apply the process driven by the ‘precautionary principle’ rather than the ‘outcome’ benefits of the GM product [4,9,14]
Summary
GM crops in 2018 occupied 191.7 million hectares, providing improvement for the key traits of yield as well as disease and pest resistance across cereal, vegetable, oilseed and fiber crops [1,2,3]. GM crops could not be bred with conventional plant breeding, as this involves the transfer of genes between non-crossable, or very difficult to cross, CWR and other species [8]. Any relaxation or changes of regulations for gene technologies is strongly opposed by the ‘Green’ lobby. These regulations are based on the transfer of DNA from another species and apply the process driven by the ‘precautionary principle’ rather than the ‘outcome’ benefits of the GM product [4,9,14]. This paper addresses GM crops globally, regulation, genome editing (GE), trade, the anti-GM ‘Green’ campaign, food labelling, public education, Australian GM crops and regulations, and a revised National Gene Technology Scheme (NGTS) proposed for food and fiber crops only
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