Scientific Methods Workshop:  Ecological and Agronomic Consequences of Gene Flow from Transgenic Crops to Wild Relatives

March 5 and 6, 2002
Columbus, Ohio

Meeting Description

Gene flow from transgenic plants to wild relatives is one of the major research areas targeted by USDA’s Biotechnology Risk Assessment Research Grants Program (BRARGP).  We received funds for a two-day workshop that brought together researchers who study the prevalence and consequences of gene flow from transgenic crops to weeds and other wild relatives.  On the first day, speakers discussed the general context for gene flow research, the information needs of USDA-APHIS, EPA, and the biotechnology industry, and case studies of specific crop-wild complexes, including cucurbits, brassicas, sunflower, sorghum, rice, wheat, maize, strawberry, poplar, and turfgrasses. See the AGENDA for information on specific speakers and topics.  Select the ABSTRACTS document for short abstracts of these talks or the PROCEEDINGS document for more complete summaries (if you have difficulty opening these files, follow this link to download the Acrobat Reader).

On the second day, break-out groups discussed the advantages and disadvantages of various approaches for studying the occurrence of gene flow and various effects of gene flow (fitness effects of transgenes in wild relatives, effects on population dynamics, indirect community effects, and effects on the genetic diversity of wild relatives).  The crops, wild relatives, and regulatory issues we discussed focused on the USA, but much of the workshop was also relevant to similar situations in other countries.  Bridging the fields weed science and plant ecology, this workshop defined the most appropriate and rigorous empirical methods available for studying questions related to gene flow from transgenic crops to weedy and wild relatives.

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Last Updated:  Wednesday, April 03, 2002