Forsker Lilian van Hove og tidligere GenØk forsker Frøydis Gillund har publisert en ny artikkel i Environmental Sciences Europe.

Bruk av genteknologi innen planteavl i Europa har utviklet seg raskt. Politiske og faglige debatter har i stor grad handlet om godkjenning av ulike genteknologiske teknikker og hvordan de bør reguleres innen lovverket. Et eksempel er cisgenetikk. Ved bruk av denne teknikken i planter regnes en avling som genmodifisert når det er brukt kryssbare arter i stedet for andre (ikke kryssbare) arter. Denne tilnærmingen er brukt til å utvikle poteter som er resistente mot tørråte – den mest ødeleggende potetsykdommen i verden.

Gjennom tre workshops med ulike interessenter innen jordbrukssektoren og potetindustrien i Norge, forskere og forvaltning, har forskere ved GenØk identifisert problemstillinger som bør inkluderes når man vurderer bruken av genteknologi for å utvikle tørråte resistente poteter . I denne artikkelen diskuteres følgende fire problemstillinger: (1) den (tekniske) løsningen, (2) ulike forståelser av tørråteproblemet, (3) holdbarheten av tørråte resistens i poteten, og (4) patentering og eierskap. Ved å belyse disse problemstillingene ønsker artikkelforfatterne å utvide debatten om cisgenetiske planter, og bidra til ansvarlig bruk av landbruksbioteknologi.

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van Hove, L. and Gillund, F. (2017). “Is it only the regulatory status? Broadening the debate on cisgenic plants”, Environ Sci Eur 29 (22). doi:10.1186/s12302-017-0120-2 (open access)

Abstract
In current debates on emerging technologies for plant breeding in Europe, much attention has been given to the regulatory status of these techniques and their public acceptance. At present, both genetically modified plants with cisgenic approaches—using genes from crossable species—as well as transgenic approaches—using genes from different species—fall under GMO regulation in the EU and both are mandatorily labelled as GMOs. Researchers involved in the early development of cisgenic GM plants convey the message that the potential use and acceptance of cisgenic approaches will be seriously hindered if GMO regulations are not adjusted. Although the similar treatment and labelling of transgenic and cisgenic plants may be a legitimate concern for the marketability of a cisgenic GM plant, there are concerns around their commercialization that reach beyond the current focus on (de)regulation. In this paper, we will use the development of the cisgenic GM potato that aims to overcome ‘late blight’—the most devastating potato disease worldwide—as a case to argue that it is important to recognize, reflect and respond to broader concerns than the dominant focus on the regulatory ‘burden’ and consumer acceptance. Based on insights we gained from discussing this case with diverse stakeholders within the agricultural sector and potato production in Norway during a series of workshops, we elaborate on additional issues such as the (technical) solution offered; different understandings of the late blight problem; the durability of the potato plant resistance; and patenting and ownership. Hence, this paper contributes to empirical knowledge on stakeholder perspectives on emerging plant breeding technologies, underscoring the importance to broaden the scope of the debate on the opportunities and challenges of agricultural biotechnologies, such as cisgenic GM plants. The paper offers policy-relevant input to ongoing efforts to broaden the scope of risk assessments of agricultural biotechnologies. We aim to contribute to the recognition of the complex socio-ecological, legal and political dimensions in which these technological developments are entangled as a means to acknowledge, discuss and respond to these concerns and thereby contribute to more comprehensive and responsible developments within agricultural biotechnology.