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Lukasiewicz JM, van de Wiel CCM, Lotz LAP, Smulders MJM. Consumer transparency in the production chain for plant varieties produced using new genomic techniques. ABIOTECH 2024; 5:239-246. [PMID: 38974855 PMCID: PMC11224161 DOI: 10.1007/s42994-024-00142-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 07/09/2024]
Abstract
Plants edited with new genomic techniques (NGTs) currently fall under the Genetically Modified Organisms Directive (2001/18/EC) in the European Union. In the proposal of the European Commission, NGT plants are partially exempted from the regulations of this directive. The proposal makes a distinction between two categories of NGT plants: NGT-1 and NGT-2. NGT-1 category plants are considered equal to plants obtained through conventional breeding methods. These plants will not be labelled for the consumer, although they will be labelled as seeds. NGT-2 category plants may be labelled with additional information as a positive incentive. Labelling of seeds of varieties made with gene editing, but not the products, would mean that most steps in the production chain are transparent, but not the last step towards consumers. The "right to know" and increasing knowledge of gene-edited food is a common theme in food labelling towards consumers. Here, we describe current labelling regimes and registers and how these may be applied to provide transparency on gene-edited products to consumers. Furthermore, we also look into consumer studies, which indicate a greater acceptance of gene-edited food among consumers, especially when additional benefits such as sustainability are mentioned.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. M. Lukasiewicz
- Wageningen University & Research, P.O. Box 386, NL-6700 AJ Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - C. C. M. van de Wiel
- Wageningen University & Research, P.O. Box 386, NL-6700 AJ Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - L. A. P. Lotz
- Wageningen University & Research, P.O. Box 386, NL-6700 AJ Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - M. J. M. Smulders
- Wageningen University & Research, P.O. Box 386, NL-6700 AJ Wageningen, The Netherlands
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2
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Yang Z, Liao D, Jia H. Similarities and differences with the 'general public': Chinese civil servants' attitude to genetically modified organisms and its influencing factors. GM CROPS & FOOD 2023; 14:1-13. [PMID: 37707999 PMCID: PMC10503451 DOI: 10.1080/21645698.2023.2256929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Revised: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
This study examines Chinese civil servants' attitudes toward genetically modified organisms by reviewing a national survey of 3,018 Chinese civil servants. The findings show that Chinese civil servants hold a more positive attitude to GMOs than the wider Chinese "general public", with a similar level of genetic scientific literacy and belief in GMOs conspiracy theories and their influence mechanisms. While the Chinese civil servants' occupational literacy plays an important role in their GMOs attitude. This study provides a new mind-set for studying some specific groups' attitudes toward GMOs and related food policies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheng Yang
- The School of Communication, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Danfeng Liao
- The Deaprtment of Science Popularization, China Association of Agricultural Science Societies, Beijing, China
| | - Hepeng Jia
- The School of Communication, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
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3
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Caradus JR. Processes for regulating genetically modified and gene edited plants. GM CROPS & FOOD 2023; 14:1-41. [PMID: 37690075 PMCID: PMC10761188 DOI: 10.1080/21645698.2023.2252947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Revised: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
Innovation in agriculture has been essential in improving productivity of crops and forages to support a growing population, improving living standards while contributing toward maintaining environment integrity, human health, and wellbeing through provision of more nutritious, varied, and abundant food sources. A crucial part of that innovation has involved a range of techniques for both expanding and exploiting the genetic potential of plants. However, some techniques used for generating new variation for plant breeders to exploit are deemed higher risk than others despite end products of both processes at times being for all intents and purposes identical for the benefits they provide. As a result, public concerns often triggered by poor communication from innovators, resulting in mistrust and suspicion has, in turn, caused the development of a range of regulatory systems. The logic and motivations for modes of regulation used are reviewed and how the benefits from use of these technologies can be delivered more efficiently and effectively is discussed.
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4
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Wu K, Xu C, Li T, Ma H, Gong J, Li X, Sun X, Hu X. Application of Nanotechnology in Plant Genetic Engineering. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:14836. [PMID: 37834283 PMCID: PMC10573821 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241914836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Revised: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The ever-increasing food requirement with globally growing population demands advanced agricultural practices to improve grain yield, to gain crop resilience under unpredictable extreme weather, and to reduce production loss caused by insects and pathogens. To fulfill such requests, genome engineering technology has been applied to various plant species. To date, several generations of genome engineering methods have been developed. Among these methods, the new mainstream technology is clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) with nucleases. One of the most important processes in genome engineering is to deliver gene cassettes into plant cells. Conventionally used systems have several shortcomings, such as being labor- and time-consuming procedures, potential tissue damage, and low transformation efficiency. Taking advantage of nanotechnology, the nanoparticle-mediated gene delivery method presents technical superiority over conventional approaches due to its high efficiency and adaptability in different plant species. In this review, we summarize the evolution of plant biomolecular delivery methods and discussed their characteristics as well as limitations. We focused on the cutting-edge nanotechnology-based delivery system, and reviewed different types of nanoparticles, preparation of nanomaterials, mechanism of nanoparticle transport, and advanced application in plant genome engineering. On the basis of established methods, we concluded that the combination of genome editing, nanoparticle-mediated gene transformation and de novo regeneration technologies can accelerate crop improvement efficiently in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kexin Wu
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Efficient and Green Production of Agriculture in Mountainous Areas of Zhejiang Province, College of Horticulture Science, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China
- Key Laboratory of Quality and Safety Control for Subtropical Fruit and Vegetable, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Hangzhou 311300, China
| | - Changbin Xu
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Efficient and Green Production of Agriculture in Mountainous Areas of Zhejiang Province, College of Horticulture Science, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China
- Key Laboratory of Quality and Safety Control for Subtropical Fruit and Vegetable, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Hangzhou 311300, China
| | - Tong Li
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Efficient and Green Production of Agriculture in Mountainous Areas of Zhejiang Province, College of Horticulture Science, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China
- Key Laboratory of Quality and Safety Control for Subtropical Fruit and Vegetable, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Hangzhou 311300, China
| | - Haijie Ma
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Efficient and Green Production of Agriculture in Mountainous Areas of Zhejiang Province, College of Horticulture Science, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China
- Key Laboratory of Quality and Safety Control for Subtropical Fruit and Vegetable, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Hangzhou 311300, China
| | - Jinli Gong
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Efficient and Green Production of Agriculture in Mountainous Areas of Zhejiang Province, College of Horticulture Science, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China
- Key Laboratory of Quality and Safety Control for Subtropical Fruit and Vegetable, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Hangzhou 311300, China
| | - Xiaolong Li
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Efficient and Green Production of Agriculture in Mountainous Areas of Zhejiang Province, College of Horticulture Science, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China
- Key Laboratory of Quality and Safety Control for Subtropical Fruit and Vegetable, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Hangzhou 311300, China
| | - Xuepeng Sun
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Efficient and Green Production of Agriculture in Mountainous Areas of Zhejiang Province, College of Horticulture Science, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China
- Key Laboratory of Quality and Safety Control for Subtropical Fruit and Vegetable, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Hangzhou 311300, China
| | - Xiaoli Hu
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Efficient and Green Production of Agriculture in Mountainous Areas of Zhejiang Province, College of Horticulture Science, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China
- Key Laboratory of Quality and Safety Control for Subtropical Fruit and Vegetable, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Hangzhou 311300, China
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5
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Cárdenas Pardo NJ, Rodriguez Robayo DE, Fernandez Lizarazo JC, Peña-Quemba DC, McGale E. Exploring the future of GM technology in sustainable local food systems in Colombia. Front Genome Ed 2023; 5:1181811. [PMID: 37457887 PMCID: PMC10349173 DOI: 10.3389/fgeed.2023.1181811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The security of Earth's food systems is challenged by shifting regional climates. While agricultural processes are disrupted by climate change, they also play a large role in contributing to destabilizing greenhouse gases. Finding new strategies to increase yields while decreasing agricultural environmental impacts is essential. Tropical agriculture is particularly susceptible to climate change: local, smallholder farming, which provides a majority of the food supply, is high risk and has limited adaptation capacity. Rapid, inexpensive, intuitive solutions are needed, like the implementation of genetically modified (GM) crops. In the Latin American tropics, high awareness and acceptance of GM technologies, opportunities to test GM crops as part of local agricultural educations, and their known economic benefits, support their use. However, this is not all that is needed for the future of GM technologies in these areas: GM implementation must also consider environmental and social sustainability, which can be unique to a locality. Primarily from the perspective of its educators, the potential of a rural Colombian university in driving GM implementation is explored, including the role of this type of university in producing agricultural engineers who can innovate with GM to meet regionally-dependent environmental and cultural needs that could increase their sustainability.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Diego Camilo Peña-Quemba
- Utopía, Universidad de La Salle, Yopal, Colombia
- Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering, Fundación Universitaria de San Gil, UNISANGIL, Yopal, Colombia
| | - Erica McGale
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
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6
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Felden A, Dobelmann J, Baty JW, McCormick J, Haywood J, Lester PJ. Can immune gene silencing via dsRNA feeding promote pathogenic viruses to control the globally invasive Argentine ant? ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2023; 33:e2755. [PMID: 36196505 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Revised: 06/27/2022] [Accepted: 08/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Pest control methods that can target pest species with limited environmental impacts are a conservation and economic priority. Species-specific pest control using RNA interference is a challenging but promising avenue in developing the next generation of pest management. We investigate the feasibility of manipulating a biological invader's immune system using double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) in order to increase susceptibility to naturally occurring pathogens. We used the invasive Argentine ant as a model, targeting the immunity-associated genes Spaetzle and Dicer-1 with dsRNA. We show that feeding with Spaetzle dsRNA can result in partial target gene silencing for up to 28 days in the laboratory and 5 days in the field. Dicer-1 dsRNA only resulted in partial gene knockdown after 2 days in the laboratory. Double-stranded RNA treatments were associated with significant gene expression disruptions across immune pathways in the laboratory and to a lower extent in the field. In total, 12 viruses and four bacteria were found in these ant populations. Some changes in viral loads in dsRNA-treated groups were observed. For example, Linepithema humile Polycipivirus 2 (LhuPCV2) loads increased after 2 days of treatment with Spaetzle and Dicer-1 dsRNA treatments in the laboratory. After treatment with the dsRNA in the field, after 5 days the virus Linepithema humile toti-like virus 1 (LhuTLV1) was significantly more abundant. However, immune pathway disruption did not result in a consistent increase in microbial infections, nor did it alter ant abundance in the field. Some viruses even declined in abundance after dsRNA treatment. Our study explored the feasibility of lowering a pest's immunity as a control tool. We demonstrate that it is possible to alter immune gene expression of pest species and pathogen loads, although in our specific system the affected pathogens did not appear to influence pest abundance. We provide suggestions on future directions for dsRNA-mediated immune disruption in pest species, including potential avenues to improve dsRNA delivery as well as the importance of pest and pathogen biology. Double-stranded RNA targeting immune function might be especially useful for pest control in systems in which viruses or other microorganisms are prevalent and have the potential to be pathogenic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antoine Felden
- Centre for Biodiversity and Restoration Ecology, School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Jana Dobelmann
- Centre for Biodiversity and Restoration Ecology, School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - James W Baty
- Centre for Biodiversity and Restoration Ecology, School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Joseph McCormick
- Centre for Biodiversity and Restoration Ecology, School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - John Haywood
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Philip J Lester
- Centre for Biodiversity and Restoration Ecology, School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
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7
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Lynas M, Adams J, Conrow J. Misinformation in the media: global coverage of GMOs 2019-2021. GM CROPS & FOOD 2022:1-10. [PMID: 36384421 DOI: 10.1080/21645698.2022.2140568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Revised: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 10/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Misinformation is a serious problem in scientific debates ranging from climate change to vaccines to nuclear power. In this study we quantitatively assess the phenomenon of misinformation - defined as information which is at variance with widely-accepted scientific consensus - on genetically modified crops and food ("GMOs") in the mainstream and online news media over a two-year period. We found an overall falsehood rate of 9% with a potential readership of 256 million. None of the misinformation was positive in sentiment; most was negative. About a fifth of Africa's media coverage on GMOs contained misinformation, a worrying finding given the potential for genetic engineering to deliver improved nutrition and food security in the continent. We conclude that misinformation about GMOs in the mainstream media is still a significant problem, and outranks the proportion of misinformation in other comparable debates such as COVID-19 and vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Lynas
- The Alliance for Science, The Boyce Thompson Institute, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Jordan Adams
- Cision Global Insights, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Joan Conrow
- The Alliance for Science, The Boyce Thompson Institute, Ithaca, New York, USA
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8
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Okruszek Ł, Piejka A, Banasik-Jemielniak N, Jemielniak D. Climate change, vaccines, GMO: The N400 effect as a marker of attitudes toward scientific issues. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0273346. [PMID: 36201440 PMCID: PMC9536546 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0273346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
While the psychological predictors of antiscience beliefs have been extensively studied, neural underpinnings of the antiscience beliefs have received relatively little interest. The aim of the current study is to investigate whether attitudes towards the scientific issues are reflected in the N400 potential. Thirty-one individuals were asked to judge whether six different issues presented as primes (vaccines, medicines, nuclear energy, solar energy, genetically-modified organisms (GMO), natural farming) are well-described by ten positive and ten negative target words. EEG was recorded during the task. Furthermore, participants were asked to rate their own expertise in each of the six topics. Both positive and negative target words related to GMO elicited larger N400, than targets associated with vaccines and natural farming. The results of the current study show that N400 may be an indicator of the ambiguous attitude toward scientific issues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Łukasz Okruszek
- Social Neuroscience Lab, Institute of Psychology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
- * E-mail:
| | - Aleksandra Piejka
- Social Neuroscience Lab, Institute of Psychology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | | | - Dariusz Jemielniak
- Management in Networked and Digital Societies (MINDS) Department, Kozminski University, Warsaw, Poland
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9
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Yakovleva IV, Kamionskaya AM. State of the art: Russia starts genome-edited plant assessment. Trends Biotechnol 2022; 40:635-638. [PMID: 34998621 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2021.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2021] [Revised: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Russia has started the process of correcting its GMO regulation, but it does not use the same approach to regulating genome-edited plant products as other countries. Our assessment here is based not only on science but also on important social and economic factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- I V Yakovleva
- Institute of Bioengineering, Research Centre of Biotechnology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 119071, Moscow, Russia.
| | - A M Kamionskaya
- Institute of Bioengineering, Research Centre of Biotechnology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 119071, Moscow, Russia
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10
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Niraula PM, Fondong VN. Development and Adoption of Genetically Engineered Plants for Virus Resistance: Advances, Opportunities and Challenges. PLANTS 2021; 10:plants10112339. [PMID: 34834702 PMCID: PMC8623320 DOI: 10.3390/plants10112339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Revised: 10/24/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Plant viruses cause yield losses to crops of agronomic and economic significance and are a challenge to the achievement of global food security. Although conventional plant breeding has played an important role in managing plant viral diseases, it will unlikely meet the challenges posed by the frequent emergence of novel and more virulent viral species or viral strains. Hence there is an urgent need to seek alternative strategies of virus control that can be more readily deployed to contain viral diseases. The discovery in the late 1980s that viral genes can be introduced into plants to engineer resistance to the cognate virus provided a new avenue for virus disease control. Subsequent advances in genomics and biotechnology have led to the refinement and expansion of genetic engineering (GE) strategies in crop improvement. Importantly, many of the drawbacks of conventional breeding, such as long lead times, inability or difficulty to cross fertilize, loss of desirable plant traits, are overcome by GE. Unfortunately, public skepticism towards genetically modified (GM) crops and other factors have dampened the early promise of GE efforts. These concerns are principally about the possible negative effects of transgenes to humans and animals, as well as to the environment. However, with regards to engineering for virus resistance, these risks are overstated given that most virus resistance engineering strategies involve transfer of viral genes or genomic segments to plants. These viral genomes are found in infected plant cells and have not been associated with any adverse effects in humans or animals. Thus, integrating antiviral genes of virus origin into plant genomes is hardly unnatural as suggested by GM crop skeptics. Moreover, advances in deep sequencing have resulted in the sequencing of large numbers of plant genomes and the revelation of widespread endogenization of viral genomes into plant genomes. This has raised the possibility that viral genome endogenization is part of an antiviral defense mechanism deployed by the plant during its evolutionary past. Thus, GM crops engineered for viral resistance would likely be acceptable to the public if regulatory policies were product-based (the North America regulatory model), as opposed to process-based. This review discusses some of the benefits to be gained from adopting GE for virus resistance, as well as the challenges that must be overcome to leverage this technology. Furthermore, regulatory policies impacting virus-resistant GM crops and some success cases of virus-resistant GM crops approved so far for cultivation are discussed.
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Batalha L, Foroni F, Jones BJ. All Plant Breeding Technologies Are Equal, but Some Are More Equal Than Others: The Case of GM and Mutagenesis. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:657133. [PMID: 34276720 PMCID: PMC8283524 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.657133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
A pervasive opposition to genetically modified (GM) foods has developed from the notion that they pose a risk to human and environmental health. Other techniques for the genetic modification of plants, such as sexual crossing and mutagenesis breeding, have mostly remained unchallenged. This research aims to investigate public perception of plant breeding technologies. Specifically, sexual crossing, mutagenesis, transgenics (GM) and gene editing. It was expected that attitudes and intentions would be most positive and the perception of risk lowest for plant genetic modification through sexual crosses. Scores on these variables were expected to be similar between mutagenesis, GM and gene editing. It was also expected that attitudes, intentions and risk perception would change (becoming more positive) once participants learned about foods developed through these technologies. Participants reported their attitudes, intentions and risk perception at two points in time. At Time 2, they were presented with pictures of food items developed through sexual crossing, GM and mutagenesis. The results showed that mutagenesis stood out as the most negatively perceived technology, whereas genetic development via sexual crosses was generally perceived as positive. The results highlight the importance of messaging, framing in consumer attitudes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luisa Batalha
- School of Behavioural and Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Francesco Foroni
- School of Behavioural and Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Brian Joseph Jones
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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12
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Ali S, Nawaz MA, Ghufran M, Hussain SN, Hussein Mohammed AS. GM trust shaped by trust determinants with the impact of risk/benefit framework: the contingent role of food technology neophobia. GM CROPS & FOOD 2021; 12:170-191. [PMID: 33356819 PMCID: PMC7781675 DOI: 10.1080/21645698.2020.1848230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2020] [Revised: 11/01/2020] [Accepted: 11/04/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The present study is comparative in natures that focus on understanding the factors that influence the GM food trust level in the BRA framework and food technology neophobia in China and the USA. For this purpose, we collected 300 and 350 valid responses, respectively, through a structured questionnaire. By carefully evaluating the above relationships, we found that trust determinants such as institutional trust, technology trust, information revealed with GM food vary across both datasets. However, GM knowledge has a better association with GM food trust in both cases. Apart from this, the food technology neophobia slightly moderates the benefits-risk perception of consumers and GM trust. This study guides the policymakers to enhance GM knowledge, as GM food is scientifically proven safe for health and environment and can be a financial incentive for the farmers. Further, the study also provides direction for corporate managers to design effective marketing and communication strategies in two different countries by investigating GM food trust's primary motivators in both nations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sumran Ali
- School of Public Affairs, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Muhammad Asim Nawaz
- Lyallpur Business School, Government College University, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Ghufran
- Department of Economics and Law, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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13
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Smyth SJ. Regulatory barriers to improving global food security. GLOBAL FOOD SECURITY-AGRICULTURE POLICY ECONOMICS AND ENVIRONMENT 2020; 26:100440. [PMID: 33014703 PMCID: PMC7521901 DOI: 10.1016/j.gfs.2020.100440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2020] [Revised: 09/14/2020] [Accepted: 09/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Crop agriculture and food production constantly face climactic challenges to the supply of safe, nutritious food. These challenges highlight the importance of innovation resulting in improved crop technologies, capable of providing consistently increasing yields in the face of abiotic and biotic stresses. This article addresses the challenge that regulatory barriers are, and can, have on the adoption of innovative crop and food technologies that improve food security. Evidence of increased crop yield and the potential for increased yields, are presented from innovative plant breeding technologies, especially gene editing. Recent advances from the use of gene editing in the pharmaceutical field may offer opportunities to reduce regulatory burdens. The EU regulatory framework for GM crops is in gridlock with no signs of ending. The CJEU 2018 gene editing ruling has resulted in a decline in EU R&D investment. Gene editing regulation in the EU will have spillover effects in Africa and Asia. Covid-19 vaccines may require regulation as equivalent to GMOs, delaying approval.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stuart J Smyth
- Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of Saskatchewan, 51 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, S7N 5A8, Canada
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