Risk assessment and risk management of LMOs with stacked genes or traits
Gene stacking (also known as gene pyramiding) is the process of combining two or more transgenes into an organism.
There are many different ways for obtaining a stacked event, traditional breeding by crossing two genetically modified events being, at the moment, the most common method for stacking genes in commercial genetically modified crops. Other methods include, for instance, co-transformation, re-transformation and multi-gene cassettes. Examples of stacked LMOs include
MON863 x MON810 x NK603 (double cross breeding),
Bt-11 (cassette with multiple genes) and
Bt176 (co-transformation).
Detection methods of stacked genes should be precise enough to allow for the identification of each transgene. Monitoring of stacked organisms deserves particular attention because of possible segregation of the transgenes.
According to the Protocol, risk assessment of LMOs must be carried out on a case-by-case basis; as such each event containing stacked genes/traits must undergo risk assessment.
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