Field Testing and Commercialization Introduction,GMOs,Potential risks,Biodiversity,France,USA,Transgenic tobacco

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Field Testing and Commercialization
The genetically modified organisms (GMOs) were produced for the first time in 1981. Ever since then, GMOs have always been considered a threat to the environment and human health. In view of this, it was considered necessary, that transgenic crops are first grown and field tested in contained and controlled environments according to biosafety regulations of individual countries for any potential risks these may pose to the environment, biodiversity and to human health. Consequently, the first field trials of a herbicide resistant tobacco were conducted in USA and France in 1986.

In the following 15 years (1986-2001), more than 5,000 field trials of more than 100 transgenic crop varieties (representing only 8 species) have been conducted on more than 20,000 sites in at least 40 different countries. Most of these trials were conducted in USA and Europe. Following safe field trials, transgenic crops were approved for commercial cultivation in 15 countries during 1990-2001. The area covered by transgenic crops increased from 1.7 million hectares in 1996 to 52.6 million hectares in 2001 and 58.7 millions hectares in 2002.

World-wide crop areas occupied by commerical transgenic crops
(a) Principal Transgenic Crop area 2001 (crop-wise)		(b) Global Transgenic Crop Area 2001 (country-wise)

1. Canola 5%	2. Cotton 13%	1. Argentina 22%		2. Canada 6%
3. Corn 19%	4. Soybean 63%	3. China 3%	4. Rest 1%	5. USA 68%

China was the first country to commercialize transgenic tobacco and tomato in early 1990s. An estimated 2.5 million acres of transgenic tobacco and tomato were grown in China in 1996. In USA the first transgenic crop for food was F1avr Savr^TM tomato that was characterized for delayed ripening, thus improving its flavour and nutritional value. Several transgenic crops that were subsequently used for commercial cultivation included tomato, cotton, soybean, corn/maize, canola/rapeseed, potato and squash. The value of global market for transgenic crops in the year 2000 exceeded 3 million US dollars, which will increase to 6 billion US dollars in the year 2005. This means that transgenic crops are going to be commercialized at a large scale in future and therefore will playa major role in

Country-wise global hectarage of GM crops in the years 2000 and 2001

Country	2000 (million hectares)	2002 (million hectares)
USA	30.3	39.0
Argentina	10.0	13.5
Canada	3.0	3.5
China	0.5	2.1
South Africa	0.2	0.3
Australia	0.2	0.2
India	-	<0.1
Romania	<0.1	<0.1
Mexico	<0.1	<0.1
Bulgaria	<0.1	<0.1
Spain	<0.1	<0.1
Germany	<0.1	<0.1
Uruguay	<0.1	<0.1
Total	44.2	58.7

agriculture at the global level. In this chapter, we will review firstly, the status of field trials conducted using transgenic crops (these are referred to as release by regulation), and secondly the status. of approvals granted to grow transgenic crops on a commercial scale. These approvals may sometimes be restricted to use of products for food/feed or for breeding or for import.

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Regulations in India Requirements and Criteria for Field Trials Regulatory Measures for Bt-cotton in India Proagro's GM Mustard Questions About Transgenic Crops Risk to Monarch Butterfly due to Bt-corn Starlink Corn and Biosafety GM Maize Contamination in Mexico