Abstract Detail

Crops and Wild Relatives

Ellstrand, Norman [1].

Who let the dogs out? A review of spontaneous transgenes in natural plant populations.

More than three decades have passed since genetically engineered (transgenic) plants (aka "GMOs") were first grown in the field, and more than two decades since they were first commericalized. Examples of transgenes growing in unintended venues are increasingly common. Many more than 1000 free-living populations with one or more transgenic plants have been identified. Overall, the well-documented examples can be consolidated into 14 "cases". Some are transient volunteers, but it is clear that most cases appear to involve persistent populations. The species and traits in the latter category are neither representative of the commercialized transgenics nor are they random. Species most likely to form natural transgenic populations are those that have, in decreasing order of importance, (1) a history of readily forming free-living populations, (2) fully or partially shattering fruits, (3) small or otherwise easily dispersed seeds, (4) ability to disperse pollen at a distance of many meters, (5) perennial habit, and (6) a transgene whose fitness effects in the recipient environment are beneficial or neutral. Given these observations, certain transgenic species are suggested as candidates for the next to be reported in free-living populations.

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1 - Botany & Plant Sciences, Unversity Of California, Riverside, CA, 92521, United States

Keywords:
gene flow
GMO
transgene
crop wild relatives
feral
herbicide tolerance
brassica
agrostis
Seed dispersal
pollen
genetic engineering.

Presentation Type: Poster
Session: P, Crops and Wild Relatives Posters
Location: Arizona Ballroom/Starr Pass
Date: Monday, July 29th, 2019
Time: 5:30 PM This poster will be presented at 5:30 pm. The Poster Session runs from 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm. Posters with odd poster numbers are presented at 5:30 pm, and posters with even poster numbers are presented at 6:15 pm.
Number: PCW003
Abstract ID:203
Candidate for Awards:None