Can herbicide tolerant genes move from crops derived through biotechnology into other crops and landraces and create invasive, persistent crops?
Herbicide tolerant genes can move from biotech to non-biotech crops and to some landraces, but this does not necessarily lead to the creation of “supercrops” with weed-like traits that make them difficult to control. Our experience with conventionally bred crops shows that if crops with invasive tendencies acquire resistance to certain herbicides either by cross-pollination or through natural evolutionary forces, these crops can be controlled with other herbicides on the market. In addition, only a handful of crops, such as canola, rice and sorghum, have potentially weedy traits in agricultural systems or persistence in natural environments. Modern-day corn and soybeans cannot persist outside of cultivated, agricultural settings.
Related Questions
- Can herbicide tolerant genes move from crops derived through biotechnology into other crops and landraces and create invasive, persistent crops?
- What is the likelihood the new genes in crops derived through biotechnology will be transferred to wild plants?
- Can herbicide tolerant genes move from crops derived through biotechnology into weeds and create "superweeds?"
