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First posted:
1 August 2008
Modified: 27 November 2008
Modified: 7 August 2009
Tree species
being manipulated:
- Poplar (Populus
nigra and Populus hybrid). The two GE poplar clones have been named
Poplar-12 and Poplar-741. According to officials from the Chinese
Academy of Forestry, “both commercialized species are female
poplars with altered fertility”.
- Eucalyptus (7)
Aim
of genetic manipulation
- Resistance to leaf-eating
insects (Bt)
- Modified wood properties
- Resistance to Bacterial Wilt disease in Eucalyptus (caused by the
soil bacteria Ralstonia solanacearum) (7)
Those carrying
out the research
- Chinese Academy
of Forestry
- Hebei University, Boading (6)
- Research Institute of Tropic Forestry of the Chinese Academy of
Forestry (Eucalyptus) (7)
Those who
provide support to research
- Federal Research
Centre for Forestry and Forest Products at Waldsieversdorf in Germany
- FuturaGene (Israel) and its subsidiaries, CBD Technologies and FuturaGene
Investment Consulting (Beijing) in a collaboration agreement with
the Research Institute of Tropic Forestry of the Chinese Academy of
Forestry (Eucalyptus) (7)
- FAO
- UNDP
Regulatory
framework for research and field trials
- Regulation of genetically
modified organisms in China is covered by the Biosafety Act for GMOs
in Agriculture, adopted by the State Council in May 2001. Before GM
trees can be planted an expert panel organised by the State Forestry
Administration carries out a technical assessment. The National Committee
for Biosafety of GMOs in Agriculture bases its decision whether to
approve the GM trees for release on the panel's
report. However, China has no regulations specifically covering GM
trees.
Commercial
release of GE trees
- In 2002, China's
State Forestry Administration approved genetically modified (GM) poplar
trees for commercial planting. Well over one million insect resistant
GM poplars have now been planted in China.
- According to official statistics from the Chinese Forestry Academy,
Bt poplars are currently being commercially grown on around 200-300
hectares. There are a further 300 hectares of small research sites,
distributed over several provinces.(6)
GE tree contamination
- The Nanjing Institute
of Environmental Science has already found genes from the GE poplars
in Xinjiang appearing in natural varieties growing nearby.(5)
Sources
· http://chrislang.org/2004/12/20/genetically-modified-trees-chapter-3/
· http://www.wrm.org.uy/bulletin/85/China.html
· http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-04/01/content_430093.htm
· http://www.dominionpaper.ca/environment/2006/05/20/the_new_ch.html
· (5) http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn6402-chinas-gm-trees-get-lost-in-bureaucracy.html
· (6) http://www.gmo-safety.eu/en/wood/poplar/325.docu.html
· (7) http://www.futuragene.com/FGN%20expands%20
contract%20with%20RITF%20to%20disease%20solutions.pdf
