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Regulatory Approvals of GM Plants (Insect Resistant) in European Agriculture: Perspectives from Industry

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Arthropod-Plant Interactions

Part of the book series: Progress in Biological Control ((PIBC,volume 14))

Abstract

Selection of plant cultivars with improved defense systems to attacks from pests or diseases has been traditionally recommended for sustainable crop production and integrated pest management (IPM). Since the commercial introduction of genetically modified (GM) plants in 1996, modern biotechnology has enabled the addition of insect-resistant traits to varieties of cotton, maize and other crops, providing reliable protection against target pests, with minimal impact on beneficial organisms. The introduction of GM varieties has been subject to environmental risk evaluations more stringent than those required for conventionally bred varieties. Repeated use over the years confirms benefits for farmers and for the environment when deployed with recommended insect resistance management (IRM) strategies. In the European Union (EU), however, regulation complexity threatens to overwhelm any benefits through the additional requirements of traceability, labeling, coexistence, socio-economic issues and liability. A discussion of these issues will show where the regulatory process can be improved.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Roundup Ready is a registered trademark of Monsanto.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Ivo O. Brants, T.G.A. Clemence, Gary F. Hartnell, Graham P. Head and David Songstad for their valuable comments to the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Monsanto Agricultura España S.L., Avda. de Burgos 17, 28036, Madrid, Spain

    Jaime Costa & Concepcion Novillo

Authors
  1. Jaime Costa
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  2. Concepcion Novillo
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Correspondence to Jaime Costa .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty Bioscience Engineering, Crop Protection, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, Ghent, 9000, Belgium

    Guy Smagghe

  2. Centr de Biotecn. y Genómica de plantas, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Autovía M40 (km 38), Pozuelo de Alarcón, 28223, Madrid, Spain

    Isabel Diaz

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Costa, J., Novillo, C. (2012). Regulatory Approvals of GM Plants (Insect Resistant) in European Agriculture: Perspectives from Industry. In: Smagghe, G., Diaz, I. (eds) Arthropod-Plant Interactions. Progress in Biological Control, vol 14. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-3873-7_8

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