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Risk Assessment generated by a regulatory process
(RA)
last updated: 05 Aug 2011
Field evaluation of poplars with an altered wood composition for the production of bio-ethanol
EN
25 Apr 2008
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Competent National Authority:Federal Public Service (FPS) Health, Food Chain Safety and Environment - DG Animals, Plants and Foodstuffs ()Avenue Galilée 5/2Brussels,
B-1210, BelgiumPhone: +32 2 524 97 97,Fax:Website: http://www.ogm-ggo.be,
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Person:Prof. Corinne Vander WauvenPresident,c/o Secretariat of the Biosafety Advisory Council Sciensano Service Biosafety and Biotechnology Rue J. Wytsmanstraat 14Brussels,
B-1050, BelgiumPhone: +32 2 642 52 93,Fax: +32 2 642 52 92,Email: bac@sciensano.be,Website: http://www.bio-council.be,Related OrganizationBelgian Biosafety Advisory Council (BAC)Other (Advisory Body)c/o Secretariat of the Biosafety Advisory Council Sciensano Service Biosafety and Biotechnology Rue J. Wytsmanstraat 14Brussels,
B-1050, BelgiumPhone: +32 2 642 52 93,Fax: +32 2 642 52 92,Email: bac@sciensano.be,Website: http://www.bio-council.be,
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Poplar with modified lignin| VIB-UGent | Changes in quality and/or metabolite content (Lignin), Resistance to antibiotics (Hygromycin)
- Advice of the Belgian Biosafety Advisory Council [ English ]
- Belgian Biosafety Server [ English ]
As the branches of the lignin-modified poplars will be harvested every 3 years, the poplars are not expected to flower. Nevertheless, monitoring will be carried out to check for flowering. If unexpected flower buds occur, they will be removed before seed set. As the grey poplar used in the field trials is a female clone 717-1-B4, there is no possibility of dissemination through pollen.
Spontaneous regeneration from branches is considered unlikely, as clone 717-1-B4 does not easily form rooted scions even under optimal laboratory conditions.
The possibility of horizontal gene transfer between GM plants and bacteria is considered as a rare event under natural conditions.
From data from former trials and literature, it can be concluded that the GM poplars are not expected to have significant effects on non-target organisms (invertebrates and vertebrates) and humans. The impacts of lignin-modified trees on pathogens and leaf eating insects have shown to be negligible. Also effects on herbivores (e.g. rabbits) are expected to be negligible. The fence surrounding the entire field plot will restrict entrance into the field plot; during the first year the young shoots will be protected by a cylinder of small meshed hardware cloth.
As clone 717-1-B4 does not produce pollen, a possible altered allergenicity of the transgenic pollen (pollen from poplar is known as a moderate allergen) does not form a concern for human health.
EN
Spontaneous regeneration from branches is considered unlikely, as clone 717-1-B4 does not easily form rooted scions even under optimal laboratory conditions.
The possibility of horizontal gene transfer between GM plants and bacteria is considered as a rare event under natural conditions.
From data from former trials and literature, it can be concluded that the GM poplars are not expected to have significant effects on non-target organisms (invertebrates and vertebrates) and humans. The impacts of lignin-modified trees on pathogens and leaf eating insects have shown to be negligible. Also effects on herbivores (e.g. rabbits) are expected to be negligible. The fence surrounding the entire field plot will restrict entrance into the field plot; during the first year the young shoots will be protected by a cylinder of small meshed hardware cloth.
As clone 717-1-B4 does not produce pollen, a possible altered allergenicity of the transgenic pollen (pollen from poplar is known as a moderate allergen) does not form a concern for human health.
EN
EN
Based on the scientific assessment of the dossier by the Belgian experts, the Biosafety Advisory Council concludes by majority that it is unlikely that this small scale restricted field trial with GM poplar with an altered wood composition will pose any risks for the environment, animal or human health.
EN
The Biosafety Advisory Council issues a positive advice with the following conditions:
- The notifier and the investigators must strictly apply the protocol, the monitoring plan and, if necessary, the emergency measures as described in the dossier.
- Additional conditions should be taken up in the monitoring plan:
1.Monitoring measures taken during the trial:
- Monitoring for flowers should be done twice a week (instead of once a week) during the flowering period and monthly during the growing season (instead of every two months). The notifier should keep records of dates and numbers of inflorescences removed from each transgenic line. This information is useful to check the adequacy of the monitoring frequency for inflorescences. Also dates and numbers and identity of branches taken away to be analysed in the laboratory should be recorded.
- All harvested woody material should be chopped inside the fence and the machineries that are used to harvest and chop the wood should be cleaned at the trial site to prevent dispersal of plant material.
2.Monitoring measures taken after the trial:
- The period to monitor the occurrence of suckers should be extended until the moment that two years have past after the last observed outgrowing suckers.
Other considerations:
The Biosafety Advisory Council is of the opinion that the molecular detection protocol alone is not accurate enough to distinguish GM poplars from non-GM poplars. Therefore, the Council proposes that a combination of the phenotypic and genotypic method is used when detection is considered necessary.
This advice reflects the opinion of the Biosafety Advisory Council on a this small scale restricted field trial with GM grey poplars grown as a short-rotation poplar coppice. It is obvious that any other occasional establishment (e.g. a large scale or commercial plantation), either grown as a short-rotation coppice or as a timber production unit, should be the subject of a new advice, owing to the different conditions.
EN
- The notifier and the investigators must strictly apply the protocol, the monitoring plan and, if necessary, the emergency measures as described in the dossier.
- Additional conditions should be taken up in the monitoring plan:
1.Monitoring measures taken during the trial:
- Monitoring for flowers should be done twice a week (instead of once a week) during the flowering period and monthly during the growing season (instead of every two months). The notifier should keep records of dates and numbers of inflorescences removed from each transgenic line. This information is useful to check the adequacy of the monitoring frequency for inflorescences. Also dates and numbers and identity of branches taken away to be analysed in the laboratory should be recorded.
- All harvested woody material should be chopped inside the fence and the machineries that are used to harvest and chop the wood should be cleaned at the trial site to prevent dispersal of plant material.
2.Monitoring measures taken after the trial:
- The period to monitor the occurrence of suckers should be extended until the moment that two years have past after the last observed outgrowing suckers.
Other considerations:
The Biosafety Advisory Council is of the opinion that the molecular detection protocol alone is not accurate enough to distinguish GM poplars from non-GM poplars. Therefore, the Council proposes that a combination of the phenotypic and genotypic method is used when detection is considered necessary.
This advice reflects the opinion of the Biosafety Advisory Council on a this small scale restricted field trial with GM grey poplars grown as a short-rotation poplar coppice. It is obvious that any other occasional establishment (e.g. a large scale or commercial plantation), either grown as a short-rotation coppice or as a timber production unit, should be the subject of a new advice, owing to the different conditions.
EN
The small scale and restricted field trial will be designed as a short-rotation poplar coppice. Young rooted GM poplars will be planted during spring 2008. Before the start of the second growing season (2009) the trees will be cut down to stimulate the formation of many stems per plant. At the end of 2011 all biomass will be cut down and chopped to be processed into bio-ethanol. The regrowth will be allowed to grow for another 3 growing seasons and will be harvested at the end of 2014. Occasionaly branches will be cut down to be analysed in the laboratory. At the end of 2014 rootstocks and roots of the trees will be destroyed mechanically. Potentially emerging suckers will be destroyed during 2015.
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- Belgian Biosafety Server [ English ]
- Final Decision [ English ]
- Summary Notification Information Format (SNIF) [ English ]
| Record type | Field | Record(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Country's Decision or any other Communication | Risk assessment | 1 | |
