Transgenic Crops and Biosafety, Commercialization, Transgenic crops, Abiotic stresses, Bt-toxin, Providing antibiotic, Human health

	Home
Field Testing and Commercialization Field Testing and Commercialization Introduction Transgenic Crops and Biosafety Biosafety Regulations of Transgenic Crops Regulations for Field Releases Regulations Governing Commercialization Harmonizing Regulations between Countries Database for Field Testing and Commercialization of Transgenic Crops Commercialization of Transgenic Crops Future of Transgenic Crops

Home >> Plant Biotechnology and Genomics >> Field Testing and Commercialization >> Transgenic Crops and Biosafety

	Biosafety Regulations of Transgenic Crops The transgenic crops have been subjected to biosafety regulations both in the industrialized and developing countries, so that any potential risks may be adequately assessed. Separate biosafety regulations are prescribed for conducting laboratory/greenhouse and field experiments. Contained experiments in laboratories and greenhouses are primarily designed to protect the health and safety of the personnel conducting the experiments.
Field experiments (field releases), on the other hand, are designed to contain transgenic crops, in order to safeguard the environment, and also for the health and safety of workers. There are two schools of thoughts regarding the regulations of transgenic crops: (i) According to one school, the transgenic crops are no different than the varieties developed through conventional plant breeding and, therefore, guidelines used in conventional plant breeding are adequate for transgenic crops also. (ii) According to second school, transgenic crops make use of new and unfamiliar technology and, therefore, we need to develop more detailed and new regulations to govern their field releases or commercial cultivation.
These new guidelines have been classified into two categories- vertical regulation (in USA and Canada) and horizontal regulation (in European Union or EU). (i) Vertical regulation is a selective product based system in which the characteristics of the crop that require them to be regulated are outlined, so that all products from transgenic crops need not be regulated. (ii) Horizontal system is a process based system that requires that all products produced from transgenic plants be regulated. The data collected in both systems are, however, similar.

	Home
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