Genetically modified potatoes do not affect microflora in the soil
"You could say that by choosing the T4-lysozyme modified potato line as model we could expect the highest chance on unintentional effects," explains WUR scientist Leo van Overbeek. "However, the gene apparently does not have any observable impact on the microflora. This indicates that the use of such genes for application in sustainable agriculture might become a promising method."
Potato plants with genes combating pathogenic fungi and bacteria could be of major importance for sustainability in agriculture. Plants modified with such genes could require lower doses of chemical pesticides.
Genes coding for resistance against a broad spectrum of pathogenic fungi and bacteria could possibly have unintentional effects on the soil microflora. This was the reason why Wageningen UR institute Plant Research International and its partners in a European consortium investigated the effects of T4-lysozyme, a protein that is active against many different micro-organisms. Plants equipped with the gene coding for T4-lysozyme produce a protein in their roots which intentionally will protect the plants from bacterial and fungal attack.
The scientists performed their research in soil in the proximity of the plant roots, the rhizosphere, which this is considered to be the most likely place where effects can be expected. They also investigated the micro-organisms that lived inside plants.
The scientists used an advanced technology, PCR-DGGE community fingerprinting, for their research. This allows precise 'fingerprinting' of the microflora with the omission of bacterial cultivation. Shifts in microflora can be measured via this approach. The scientists were especially focussed on the so-called group of antagonists, which are useful micro-organisms that have the potential to suppress harmful micro-organisms.
The growth stage of potato plants proved to have the greatest impact on the composition of the microflora (which undergoes significant changes during the growing season). In addition, it appeared that the microflora was also influenced by the choice of potato variety. On the other hand, the genetic modification with the T4-lysozyme seemed to have no major effect. This shows that using such genes for the development of plants with a higher resistance to bacteria and fungi might be a good approach to combat pathogens with the omission of pesticide applications.
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