Biomass degradation after harvest of genetically modified products compared to conventional counterparts
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21423/JRS.REGSCI.111186Keywords:
biomass degradation, genetically modified products, environmental risk assessment, soybean, maize, cottonAbstract
Conventional breeding and modern biotechnology tools have been successfully combined over the years to generate GM crops. Single events have been crossed to generate stacked products and these combinations have proven to be an effective way to combine different gene products and associated characteristics which are agronomically relevant and result in yield increase. Regulatory agencies around the world still require risk assessment data for these products while no evidence-based additional biosafety concerns have emerged in over 20 years of global use. As part of the environmental risk assessment to evaluate the biosafety of GMOs, the Brazilian regulatory agency requests biomass degradation analyses of GM plants compared to their conventional counterparts. Here we present results on the evaluation of biomass degradation of GM and non-GM crops for soybean, maize and cotton, including single events and stacked products. Field trials were performed in representative cultivated areas in Brazil to generate biomass samples after harvest. Stalks, senescent leaves and stems after harvest were considered the biomass assessed. Collected samples were used in degradation studies conducted in a greenhouse setting from 2012 to 2019. For each product, data was subjected to analysis of variance and pairwise differences between GM and conventional counterparts were assessed with a 5% significance level. Our results show that single events and stacked products of soybean, maize and cotton presented no significant differences from their conventional counterparts for biomass degradation. This adds to the existing weight of evidence that indicates that single and stacked GM crops follow the same pattern of biomass degradation compared to conventional counterparts.
References
Agriculture & Food Systems Institute (2020). Global Environmental Zones Explorer. Retrieved July 2020 from https://foodsystems.org/resources/genz/
Ahmad, A., Wilde, G. E., & Zhu, K. Y. (2005). Detectability of coleopteran-specific Cry3Bb1 protein in soil and its effect on nontarget surface and below-ground arthropods. Environmental Entomology, 34(2), 385-394. https://doi.org/10.1603/0046-225X-34.2.385
Becker, R., Bubner, B., Remus, R., Wirth, S., & Ulrich, A. (2014). Impact of multi-resistant transgenic Bt maize on straw decomposition and the involved microbial communities. Applied Soil Ecology, 739-18. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsoil.2013.08.002
Bell, E., Nakai, S., & Burzio, L. A. (2018). Stacked Genetically Engineered Trait Products Produced by Conventional Breeding Reflect the Compositional Profiles of Their Component Single Trait Products. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 66(29), 7794-7804. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.8b02317
Berman, K. H., Harrigan, G. G., Nemeth, M. A., Oliveira, W. S., Berger, G. U., & Tagliaferro, F. S. (2011). Compositional Equivalence of Insect-Protected Glyphosate-Tolerant Soybean MON 87701 x MON 89788 to Conventional Soybean Extends across Different World Regions and Multiple Growing Seasons. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 59(21), 11643-11651. https://doi.org/10.1021/jf202782z
Brookes, G. (2020). Genetically modified (GM) crop use in Colombia: farm level economic and environmental contributions. GM crops & food, 11(3), 140-153. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/21645698.2020.1715156
Brookes, G., & Barfoot, P. (2018). Environmental impacts of genetically modified (GM) crop use 1996-2016: Impacts on pesticide use and carbon emissions. Gm Crops & Food-Biotechnology in Agriculture and the Food Chain, 9(3), 109-139. https://doi.org/10.1080/21645698.2018.1476792
Calonego, J. C., Gil, F. C., Rocco, V. F., & dos Santos, E. A. (2012). Persistence and nutrient release from maize, brachiaria and lablab straw. Bioscience Journal, 28(5), 770-781. http://www.seer.ufu.br/.../10558
Clawson, E. L., Perrett, J. J., Cheng, L. L., Ahmad, A., Stojsin, D., McGowan, Y., Diaz, O. H., Asim, M., Vertuan, H., Quddusi, M., & Soares, D. J. (2019). Consistent Risk Assessment Outcomes from Agronomic Characterization of GE Maize in Diverse Regions and as Single-Event and Stacked Products. Crop Science, 59(4), 1681-1691. https://doi.org/10.2135/cropsci2018.12.0758
Craig, W., Tepfer, M., Degrassi, G., & Ripandelli, D. (2008). An overview of general features of risk assessments of genetically modified crops. Euphytica, 164(3), 853-880. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10681-007-9643-8
de Cerqueira, D. T. R., Schafer, A. C., Fast, B. J., & Herman, R. A. (2017). Agronomic performance of insect-protected and herbicide-tolerant MON 89034 x TC1507 x NK603 x DAS-40278-9 corn is equivalent to that of conventional corn. Gm Crops & Food-Biotechnology in Agriculture and the Food Chain, 8(3), 149-155. https://doi.org/10.1080/21645698.2017.1301331
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. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tifs.2006.09.002
de Souza, R. A., Hungria, M., Franchini, J. C., Chueire, L. M. D., Barcellos, F. G., & Campo, R. J. (2008). Quantitative and qualitative evaluations of soil microbes and biological nitrogen fixation in soybean. Pesquisa Agropecuaria Brasileira, 43(1), 71-82. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0100-204X2008000100010
de Souza, W. R. (2013). Microbial degradation of lignocellulosic biomass. Sustainable degradation of lignocellulosic biomass-techniques, applications and commercialization, pp. 207-247. http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/54325
Díaz, O. H., Meza, J. L. A., Baltazar, B. M., Bojórquez, G. B., Espinoza, L. C., Madrid, J. L. C., de la Fuente Martínez, J. M., Pompa, H. A. D., Escobedo, J. A., & Banda, A. E. (2017). Plant characterization of genetically modified maize hybrids MON-89Ø34-3× MON-88Ø17-3, MON-89Ø34-3× MON-ØØ6Ø3-6, and MON-ØØ6Ø3-6: alternatives for maize production in Mexico. Transgenic research, 26(1), 135-151. DOI 10.1007/s11248-016-9991-z
Dubelman, S., Ayden, B. R., Bader, B. M., Brown, C. R., Jiang, C., & Vlachos, D. (2005). Cry1Ab protein does not persist in soil after 3 years of sustained Bt corn use. Environmental Entomology, 34(4), 915-921. https://doi.org/10.1603/0046-225X-34.4.915
Fernandes, M., de Araújo, R. P., Costa, E. N., Zangirolymo, A., Pereira, R. M., Dourados, D., & Costa, E. N. (2019). Influence of Cry1Ac toxin from Bt cotton on the soil microbiota. Journal of Agricultural Science, 11(4). https://doi.org/10.5539/jas.v11n4p364
Gampala, S. S., Fast, B. J., Richey, K. A., Gao, Z. F., Hill, R., Wulfkuhle, B., Shan, G. M., Bradfisch, G. A., & Herman, R. A. (2017). Single-Event Transgene Product Levels Predict Levels in Genetically Modified Breeding Stacks. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 65(36), 7885-7892. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.7b03098
Glenn, K. C., Alsop, B., Bell, E., Goley, M., Jenkinson, J., Liu, B., Martin, C., Parrott, W., Souder, C., Sparks, O., Urquhart, W., Ward, J. M., & Vicini, J. L. (2017). Bringing New Plant Varieties to Market: Plant Breeding and Selection Practices Advance Beneficial Characteristics while Minimizing Unintended Changes. Crop Science, 57(6), 2906-2921. https://doi.org/10.2135/cropsci2017.03.0199
Goodwin, L., Hunst, P., Burzio, L., Rowe, L., Money, S., & Chakravarthy, S. (2021). Stacked Trait Products Are As Safe As Non-Genetically Modified (GM) Products Developed By Conventional Breeding Practices. Journal of Regulatory Science, 9(1), 22-25. https://doi.org/10.21423/jrs-v09i1goodwin
Gruber, H., Paul, V., Meyer, H. H. D., & Muller, M. (2012). Determination of insecticidal Cry1Ab protein in soil collected in the final growing seasons of a nine-year field trial of Bt-maize MON810. Transgenic Research, 21(1), 77-88. 10.1007/s11248-011-9509-7
Halpin, C. (2005). Gene stacking in transgenic plants - the challenge for 21st century plant biotechnology. Plant Biotechnology Journal, 3(2), 141-155. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-7652.2004.00113.x
Head, G., Surber, J. B., Watson, J. A., Martin, J. W., & Duan, J. J. (2002). No detection of Cry1Ac protein in soil after multiple years of transgenic Bt cotton (Bollgard) use. Environmental Entomology, 31(1), 30-36. https://doi.org/10.1603/0046-225X-31.1.30
Herman, R. A., Fast, B. J., Scherer, P. N., Brune, A. M., de Cerqueira, D. T., Schafer, B. W., Ekmay, R. D., Harrigan, G. G., & Bradfisch, G. A. (2017). Stacking transgenic event DAS‐Ø15Ø7‐1 alters maize composition less than traditional breeding. Plant biotechnology journal, 15(10), 1264-1272. https://doi.org/10.1111/pbi.12713
Icoz, I., & Stotzky, G. (2008). Fate and effects of insect-resistant Bt crops in soil ecosystems. Soil Biology & Biochemistry, 40(3), 559-586. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2007.11.002
ISAAA (2018). Brief 54: Global Status of Commercialized Biotech/GM Crops: 2018. Retrieved June 2020 from https://www.isaaa.org/resources/publications/briefs/54/default.asp
James, C. (2010). A global overview of biotech (GM) crops: adoption, impact and future prospects. GM crops, 1(1), 8-12. https://doi.org/10.4161/gmcr.1.1.9756
Joaquim, M. E. S., Belchior, G. G., Jose, M., Zapata, F., Jiang, C. J., Fischer, J., & Berger, G. U. (2019). Dissipation of DvSnf7 Double-Stranded RNA in Brazilian Soils. Agricultural & Environmental Letters, 4(1). https://doi.org/10.2134/ael2019.04.0016
Jose, M., Vertuan, H., Soares, D., Sordi, D., Bellini, L. F., Kotsubo, R., & Berger, G. U. (2020). Comparing agronomic and phenotypic plant characteristics between single and stacked events in soybean, maize, and cotton. Plos One, 15(4). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0231733
Kramer, C., Brune, P., McDonald, J., Nesbitt, M., Sauve, A., & Storck-Weyhermueller, S. (2016). Evolution of risk assessment strategies for food and feed uses of stacked GM events. Plant Biotechnology Journal, 14(9), 1899-1913. https://doi.org/10.1111/pbi.12551
Lehman, R. M., Osborne, S. L., & Rosentrater, K. A. (2008). No differences in decomposition rates observed between Bacillus thuringiensis and non-Bacillus thuringiensis corn residue incubated in the field. Agronomy Journal, 100(1), 163-168. 10.2134/agronj2007.0123
Li, X. G., Liu, B. A., Cui, J. J., Liu, D. D., Ding, S. A., Gilna, B., Luo, J. Y., Fang, Z. X., Cao, W., & Han, Z. M. (2011). No evidence of persistent effects of continuously planted transgenic insect-resistant cotton on soil microorganisms. Plant and Soil, 339(1-2), 247-257. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-010-0572-2
Ma, B. L., Blackshaw, R. E., Roy, J., & He, T. P. (2011). Investigation on gene transfer from genetically modified corn (Zea mays L.) plants to soil bacteria. Journal of Environmental Science and Health Part B-Pesticides Food Contaminants and Agricultural Wastes, 46(7), 590-599. https://doi.org/10.1080/03601234.2011.586598
Marques, L. H., Santos, A. C., Castro, B. A., Storer, N. P., Babcock, J. M., Lepping, M. D., Sa, V., Moscardini, V. F., Rule, D. M., & Fernandes, O. A. (2018). Impact of transgenic soybean expressing Cry1Ac and Cry1F proteins on the non-target arthropod community associated with soybean in Brazil. Plos One, 13(2). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0191567
McCouch, S. (2004). Diversifying selection in plant breeding. PLoS Biol, 2(10), e347. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.0020347
McDougall, P. (2011). The cost and time involved in the discovery, development and authorisation of a new plant biotechnology derived trait. Crop Life International1-24.
Miethling-Graff, R., Dockhorn, S., & Tebbe, C. C. (2010). Release of the recombinant Cry3Bb1 protein of Bt maize MON88017 into field soil and detection of effects on the diversity of rhizosphere bacteria. European Journal of Soil Biology, 46(1), 41-48. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejsobi.2009.10.003
Raman, R. (2017). The impact of Genetically Modified (GM) crops in modern agriculture: A review. Gm Crops & Food-Biotechnology in Agriculture and the Food Chain, 8(4), 195-208. https://doi.org/10.1080/21645698.2017.1413522
Raybould, A., Graser, G., Hill, K., & Ward, K. (2012). Ecological risk assessments for transgenic crops with combined insect-resistance traits: the example of Bt11 x MIR604 maize. Journal of Applied Entomology, 136(1-2), 27-37. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-0418.2010.01601.x
Ridley, W. P., Harrigan, G. G., Breeze, M. L., Nemeth, M. A., Sidhu, R. S., & Glenn, K. C. (2011). Evaluation of Compositional Equivalence for Multitrait Biotechnology Crops. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 59(11), 5865-5876. https://doi.org/10.1021/jf103874t
Shan, G., Embrey, S. K., Herman, R. A., & McCormick, R. (2014). Cry1F protein not detected in soil after three years of transgenic Bt corn (1507 corn) use. Environmental Entomology, 37(1), 255-262. https://doi.org/10.1603/0046-225X(2008)37[255:CPNDIS]2.0.CO;2
Sims, S. R., & Ream, J. E. (1997). Soil inactivation of the Bacillus thuringiensis subsp kurstaki CryIIA insecticidal protein within transgenic cotton tissue: Laboratory microcosm and field studies. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 45(4), 1502-1505. https://doi.org/10.1021/jf960647w
Smyth, S. J. (2020). The human health benefits from GM crops. Plant Biotechnology Journal, 18(4), 887-888. https://doi.org/10.1111/pbi.13261
Swarup, S., Cargill, E. J., Crosby, K., Flagel, L., Kniskern, J., & Glenn, K. C. Genetic diversity is indispensable for plant breeding to improve crops. Crop Science. https://doi.org/10.1002/csc2.20377
Venkatesh, T. V., Breeze, M. L., Liu, K., Harrigan, G. G., & Culler, A. H. (2014). Compositional Analysis of Grain and Forage from MON 87427, an Inducible Male Sterile and Tissue Selective Glyphosate-Tolerant Maize Product for Hybrid Seed Production. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 62(8), 1964-1973. https://doi.org/10.1021/jf4041589
Vertuan, H. V., Salvadori, J. R., Oliveira, W. S., & Berger, G. U. (2017). Eficácia de tecnologias Bt no manejo de lepidópteros-praga. Revista Brasileira de Milho e Sorgo. Revista Brasileira de Milho e Sorgo, 16(1), 22-29. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0100-204X2013001200001
Downloads
Published
Versions
- 2023-11-16 (3)
- 2023-11-16 (2)
- 2023-10-24 (1)
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2023 Hallison Vertuan, Marcia Jose, Augusto Crivellari, Gustavo G. Belchior, Luciana Verardino, Daniel J. Soares, Luiz F. Bellini, Fabiana Bacalhau, Marcos Barancelli, Daniel Sordi, Geraldo Berger
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
By submitting content to the Journal of Regulatory Science (JRS), authors agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the JRS the right of first publication. Authors retain patent, trademark, and other intellectual property rights (including research data) and grant third parties the right to use, reproduce, and share the article according to the Creative Commons — Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International — CC BY-NC 4.0 license agreement. The JRS is an open access journal and, as a result, articles are free to use with proper acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process.
- If excerpts from other copyrighted works are included, the author(s) must obtain written permission from the copyright owners and credit the source(s) in the article.
- The publication of the submission has been approved by all co-authors and responsible authorities at the institute or organization where the work has been carried out.
- Copyright has not been breached in seeking publication of the submission.
