The Rural Voice, 1995-09, Page 11Scrap Book
Genetically altered
crops being tested
at Elora Station
New genetically altered
varieties of canola, alfalfa and
soybeans are being field tested
at the University of Guelph's
Elora Research Station this
summer to see how they
perform when exposed to
natural stresses such as weather
and predators.
A soybean variety that has
been implanted with microbial
genes derived from yeast culture
is one of the crops being tested.
The aim of the genetic transfer
is to increase the plant's resis-
tance to a herbicide, allowing
for more effective weed control.
Alfalfa has been altered with
two potential stress -tolerance
genes — one (alcohol dehydro-
genase) from a relative of
canola and one (superoxide
dismutase) from a relative of
tobacco. And canola variety had
a gene transferred from mic-
robes that aid hybrid production.
Also being tested are two new
strains of canola which use
genes extracted from yeast
culture. These plants show a
marked tolerance to some
popular herbicides that would
usually kill canola.
The varieties were recently
approved for "unconfined
release" after lengthy study by
Health Canada, Environment
Canada and Agriculture and
Food Canada, said Dave Hume,
chair of the crop science
department. That means the
plants can be subjected to
unrestricted testing with more
conventional strains of canola.
"All procedures adhere closely
to the guidelines issued by the
plant health directorate of
Agriculture and Agri -Food
Canada to minimize any threat
that transgenic plants might
pose to each other or the
environment," Hume said.0
—Source: University of Guelph
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