6786-01-0169; Decision regarding the deliberate release (field trial) of genetically modified maize (Zea mays) hybrid lines MON810, MON88017 and MON88017 x MON810 issued by the German Competent Authority

- Fertile plant material has to be transported and stored in closed and clearly labelled repositories at any time outside the release site and biogas plants. Flowering plants and plant material including blossoms have to be transported in containers that prevent the distribution of pollen from the plant material. Genetically modified maize and wild type maize has to be stored separately at any time.
- Repositories and containers for transport, seed drills, crop chopper and machines used for inactivation of the germination capacity of corn need to be thoroughly cleaned after usage to prevent accidental transfer of genetically modified seeds.
- The release site of the genetically modified maize has to be in the distance of at least 200 m to other maize cultivation areas or maize that is cultivated closer to the genetically modified maize has not to be used as food and feed and needs to be destroyed for instance within a biogas plant.
- After completion of the field trial, maize must not be cultivated on the release site for one year. During this period, the release site, the area where shelter crops were planted and further 10 m of surrounding area have to be inspected for transgenic maize volunteers. Volunteers have to be removed and disposed prior to inflorescence.
- Maize plants that are not transported to genetic engineering facilities have to be destroyed by destroying the germination capacity of corn kernels, inactivating plant material of the genetically modified maize and shelter crops through appropriate land management (chaffing of plant material and subsequent covering with soil) or by disposal in biogas plants (efficient inactivation needs to be assured) or by composting of all non-fertile plant material (leaves, petioles, cobs, bracts, silage maize) on the release site; this is also permitted for corn kernels that were inactivated through mechanical procedures.
- Inspection of release site on unexpected biological traits of the LMO and reciprocal effects between LMO and other organisms has to be accomplished weekly during the experimental release and sufficient risk measures have to be performed.

To comply with requirements of Directive 2001/18/EC, Gentechnikgesetz (German Gene Technology Act): reduce possibility of GMO spread/establishment.

- type of decision: field trial
- LMO: hybride lines of MON810, MON88017 and MON88017 x MON810,
- legal basis: Directive 2001/18/EC, Gentechnikgesetz (German Gene Technology Act)
- scope: test of field performance of LMO
- authorization valid within the vegetation periods of the years 2006 to 2010
- locations: 5 experimental fields located in 5 different villages in Germany; for details see German LMO/GMO location register ( http://apps2.bvl.bund.de/stareg_web/localeSwitch.do?language=en&page=/showflaechen.do?)
- size: release site 1: 5 ha, release site 2: 20 ha, release site 3: 29 ha, release site 4: 3.1 ha, release site 5: 9.2 ha
max. 100,000 LMO/site
- related publications:
De Schrijver A, Devos Y, Van den Bulcke M, Cadot P, De Loose M, Reheul D, Sneyers M (2007) Risk assessment of GM stacked events obtained from crosses between GM events, Trends in Food Science & Technology, 18, 2, 101-109
Taylor ML, Hartnell G, Nemeth M, Karunanandaa K, George B (2005) Comparison of Broiler Performance When Fed Diets Containing Corn Grain with Insect-Protected (Corn Rootworm and European Corn Borer) and Herbicide-Tolerant (Glyphosate) Traits, Control Corn, or Commercial Reference Corn-Revisited, Poultry Science, 84, 1893-1899