Status and Risk Assessment of the Use of Transgenic Arthropods in Plant Protection
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IAEA-TECDOC-1483 Status and risk assessment of the use of transgenic arthropods in plant protection Proceedings of a technical meeting organized by the Joint FAO/IAEA Programme of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture and the Secretariat of the International Plant Protection Convention, held in Rome, 8 to 12 April 2002 March 2006 IAEA-TECDOC-1483 Status and risk assessment of the use of transgenic arthropods in plant protection Proceedings of a technical meeting organized by the Joint FAO/IAEA Programme of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture and the Secretariat of the International Plant Protection Convention, held in Rome, 8 to 12 April 2002 March 2006 This publication has been prepared by the: FAO/IAEA Agriculture and Biotechnology Laboratory International Atomic Energy Agency Wagramer Strasse 5 P.O. Box 100 A-1400 Vienna, Austria STATUS AND RISK ASSESSMENT OF THE USE OF TRANSGENIC ARTHROPODS IN PLANT PROTECTION IAEA, VIENNA, 2006 IAEA-TECDOC-1483 ISBN 92–0–113005–8 ISSN 1011–4289 © IAEA, 2006 Printed by the IAEA in Austria March 2006 FOREWORD New developments in the modern biotechnology have opened up the possibility of introducing genes into the germline of many insect species, including those of agricultural importance. This technology offers the potential to improve current pest control strategies that incorporate the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT). Potential improvements include the development of strains that (1) produce only male insects for sterilization and release and (2) carry a marker that distinguishes them from wild insects. There are many institutions involved in the development of transgenic insect technology both for studies on basic gene regulation and for the creation of transgenic strains for use in a wide range of insect control programmes. It has been realized that the release into the environment of transgenic insects will not be an easy process considering the current public sensitivities in this area. The fact that insects are mobile and that once released cannot be recalled creates much concern. If fertile transgenic insects were to be released in any type of control programme, then the transgene would enter the wild population through mating. This strategy is fraught with, as yet, unknown risks and it is inconceivable that regulatory approval will be given for such a release in the near future. However, when transgenic strains are integrated into a sterile insect release then the concerns about transmission of the transgene to the wild population disappear as the matings between the released and the wild insects are sterile. This scenario is likely to be the first type of transgenic release. Insects that are currently released in SIT programmes experience no significant regulatory problems, but this will not be the case if the insects that are released are transgenic, even if they are sterile. The meeting Status and Risk Assessment of the Use of Transgenic Arthropods in Plant Protection held in FAO Headquarters, Rome, in April 2002 was the first effort to bring together scientists and regulators in order to discuss risk assessment and regulation of transgenic insect release. The event was organized by the Secretariat of the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture is involved with the development of the transgenic technology and the IPPC would be involved with the regulation of any release of transgenic insects. The objective of the meeting was to: (1) review the current state of the art of transgenic technology; (2) review the current regulatory framework in different countries; and (3) develop a set of guidelines for risk assessment of transgenic insects. The Scientific Secretaries of the meeting were A. Robinson (IAEA) and C. Devorshak (IPPC). The IAEA officer responsible for this publication was A. Robinson of the FAO/IAEA Agriculture and Biotechnology Laboratory, Agency’s Laboratories, Seibersdorf. EDITORIAL NOTE The papers in these proceedings are reproduced as submitted by the authors and have not undergone rigorous editorial review by the IAEA. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the IAEA, the governments of the nominating Member States or the nominating organizations. The use of particular designations of countries or territories does not imply any judgement by the publisher, the IAEA, as to the legal status of such countries or territories, of their authorities and institutions or of the delimitation of their boundaries. The mention of names of specific companies or products (whether or not indicated as registered) does not imply any intention to infringe proprietary rights, nor should it be construed as an endorsement or recommendation on the part of the IAEA. The authors are responsible for having obtained the necessary permission for the IAEA to reproduce, translate or use material from sources already protected by copyrights. CONTENTS 1. SUMMARY......................................................................................................................1 2. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................ 2 3. THE MEETING................................................................................................................ 3 4. SUMMARIES OF WORKING PAPERS......................................................................... 4 4.1. Overview ................................................................................................................. 4 4.2. Arthropod transgenesis............................................................................................ 4 4.3. International regulation ........................................................................................... 5 4.4. National guidelines................................................................................................. 6 5. THE WORKING GROUP REPORTS ............................................................................. 7 5.1 Working Group 1: Status of transgenesis in pest arthropods .................................. 7 5.1.1. Overview ................................................................................................... 7 5.1.2. Scope......................................................................................................... 7 5.1.3. An overview of the current status of technology and tools....................... 8 5.1.4. Two examples for future release of transgenic arthropods ..................... 14 5.1.5. General conclusions................................................................................ 15 5.2. Working Group 2: Identification of risk associated with transgenic release.......................................................................................... 16 5.2.1. Overview ................................................................................................. 16 5.2.2. Risk analysis............................................................................................ 16 5.3 Working Group 3: Development of risk assessment protocols ................................ 19 5.3.1 Overview ................................................................................................. 19 5.3.2 Definitions............................................................................................... 21 5.3.3 Scope....................................................................................................... 21 5.3.4 Report...................................................................................................... 22 5.3.5 Conclusions............................................................................................. 24 6. OVERALL CONCLUSIONS......................................................................................... 25 REFERENCES......................................................................................................................... 26 WORKING PAPERS The international plant protection convention, living modified organisms and pest risk analysis ......................................................................................... 29 C. Devorshak Transgenic arthropods and the sterile insect technique............................................................ 37 G. Franz Areas of concern for the evaluation of transgenic arthropods ................................................. 45 A.M. Handler, P.W. Atkinson Can the technical issues related to risk assessment of transgenic arthropods be solved? .......................................................................................................... 57 P.W. Atkinson, A.M. Handler Pink bollworm: Trials and tribulations..................................................................................... 69 J.J. Peloquin, H. Schweizer The challenge of developing and utilizing transgenic arthropods in the Caribbean................................................................................................. 81 W. Hollingsworth Biosafety regulations and guidelines in Zimbabwe ................................................................. 87 S.Z. Sithole The interministerial commission on biosecurity and genetically modified organisms in Mexico............................................................................................ 91 V.M. Villalobos Proposed draft permit guidance for genetically