Journal or Publishing Institution: Environmental Sciences Europe
Study: http://www.enveurope.com/content/24/1/23
Author(s): Schoenenberger, N. and D’Andrea, L.
Article Type: Peer Reviewed Study
Record ID: 2294
Abstract:
Background
Railway tracks represent a highly interlinked habitat with numerous possibilities for accidental entry of oilseed rape due to seed spill during transportation. Moreover, glyphosate is regularly employed to control the vegetation, increasing the possibility of establishment for plants resistant to it. We surveyed the presence of genetically engineered glyphosate tolerant oilseed rape (Brassica napus) with a focus on the most important Swiss railway stations. Our objective was to detect accidental establishment of transgenic plants, since Switzerland does not import nor cultivate transgenic oilseed rape.
Results
Seventy-nine railway areas were sampled in Switzerland and the Principality of Liechtenstein, and the feral presence of oilseed rape was detected in 58 of them. A total of 2403 individuals were tested for genetic modification using commercially available immunologic test kits. In four localities, one located in Lugano and three in the area of Basel, a total of 50 plants expressing the CP4 EPSPS protein were detected. In two of the localities, survival of herbicide applications was observed. The populations were probably introduced through contaminated seed spills from freight trains, or during the transfer of goods from cargo ships to trains.
Conclusions
Railways represent an ideal system for herbicide resistant transgenic plants to establish and spread as a result of high selective pressure in favour of herbicide resistance with consequent increased difficulties to keep the infrastructure free of weeds. Crop-to-wild gene flow can occur as several sexually compatible species which are congeneric or in allied genera to oilseed rape were found growing sympatrically. Moreover, the capillary presence of railways in the agricultural landscape provides a putative source of contamination of GE-free agriculture. Our results suggests that carefully adapted monitoring designs may be set in order to detect introduction events that can lead to rapid establishment and growing populations as the accepted contamination thresholds are likely to be biologically insufficient to prevent further environmental contamination.
Keywords: Brassica napus, Genetically Modified Crop, Seed loss and spillage, Environmental Contamination, Railway, Brassica napus var. oleifera, Brassicales, plants, establishment, gene flow, genetic contamination, genetic engineering, genetic transformation, genetically engineered organisms, glyphosate, herbicide resistance, herbicides, railways, rape, swede rape, sympatric species, transgenic plants, canola, Capparales, genetic manipulation, genetically engineered plants, genetically modified organisms, genetically modified plants, GEOs, GMOs, oilseed rape, plant establishment, railroads, transgenic organisms, weedicides, weedkillers, analytical kits, habitats, introduced species, monitoring, pesticide application, pollution, rail transportation, ships, vegetation, weeds, Liechtenstein, Switzerland
Citation: Schoenenberger, N. and D’Andrea, L., 2012. Surveying the occurrence of subspontaneous glyphosate-tolerant genetically engineered Brassica napus L.(Brassicaceae) along Swiss railways. Environmental Sciences Europe, 24(1), p.23.
