The subject of genetically modified organisms, especially agricultural plants, food stuff and forage, received from the plants, still stays as one of the most debating problems of development of the world agriculture. The recent adoption of several laws concerning marking and usage of genetically modified products witness about the actuality of the theme in Ukraine. Nevertheless, the issue of genetically modified products contains many questions for Ukrainian agricultural products. The polling of representative sampling of agricultural producers of Ukraine, realized in November by APK-Inform Agency, showed that nearly 30% of farmers are against producing of genetically modified products to date. At the same time, nobody provided adequate answer to the question "why not?". Other participants of the polling marked that they basically have possibilities to grow the products, but in the terms that Ukraine will provide the official registration of such products only.
We asked Nikholay Boyko, the representative of the company Monsanto Ukraine, the member of Ukrainian association of cellular biologists and biotechnologist, Candidate of biological sciences, to tell us about production of GMO in the world in Ukraine.
- Nikholay, would you tell what genetically modified plants are the most widespread in the word to date?
- In the current moment, there are nearly 20 botanic varieties of such plants in the world. For example, you can find there several decorative varieties (pink, rose and etc.). Also, the list includes many tropic varieties, for example, papaya, which was on the brink of extinction due to the high level of prevalence with virus infection, but then was transformed and saved. To date, such agricultural crops as soybean, cotton plant, maize and rapeseed are also the most widespread genetically modified plants in the world. Sowing areas of genetically modified soybean in the world total 72% from the general sowing areas of the oilseed (91 mln ha). The index of GM cotton plant sowing areas totals 44% from 35 mln ha of the general sowing areas of the crop. Maize and rapeseed indices are smaller, and total 25% and 22% respectively from 148 and 27 mln ha, occupied by the agricultural crops.
- And do the biotechnological analogs of such crops as wheat and sunflower exist in the world?
- There is herbicide-resistant sunflower, which is called IMI-sunflower, or IMI-resistant varieties (hybrids) of sunflower. The crop is registered in Ukraine, but according to authors of the varieties and hybrids, such sunflower is grown through the method of classical selection, that is why I can not classify the variety as GM sunflower. The market still has no GM analogs of the oilseed. But after the long moratorium for modification of wheat, scientists returned to the issue of genetically modified wheat, and develop the issue.
- What countries do allow to grow and import GM plants to date?
- Officially, 25 countries of the world allowed production of biotechnological agricultural crops, including the USA, Argentina, Brazil, China, India, Australia, and seven countries of the European Union etc. Besides, regulating structures of 29 countries provided the admittance to use GM plants as food products and forage. The list of the countries include Japan, Russia, the EU countries and etc.
- Does Ukraine provide the admittance?
- According to the law about the biological security dd. May 31, 2007, Ukraine allows using GM plants after the registration process only.
To date, the country did not register any GM plant and food product or animal feed, made from such plants.
- Does Ukraine has lobby for genetically modified products?
- To date, the country has effective antibiotechnological lobby, but not the lobby for genetically modified products. Such biotechnological companies as Bayer, BASF, Monsanto, Pioneer, Syngenta, are foreign enterprises, which make difficulties to the process of formation of adequate GM lobby in Ukraine. Moreover, Ukrainian scientists have too low influence in the sphere. Domestic processors also did not understand advantages of the direction.
- Would you inform about economical effectiveness of Gm products output?
- For example, annually, yield indices of soybean and maize GM varieties exceed the indices of traditional analogs by 10-15%. Using of such crops also allows preventing harvest losses without essential financial investments.
- How does the process of growing of GM crops differ from production of traditional plants?
- There is no any serious difference in growing of the both types of crops. GM plants are resistant to droughts, blasts, illnesses, other biotic and abiotic factors. As a result, farmers do not use insecticides, fungicides etc., while growing the crops, which saves money of agricultural producers. The factor also provides the positive influence on the environment, and lowers pesticides pollution. Herbicide-resistant plants simplify the struggle with weeds.
- What is the clue peculiarity of GM plants?
- The peculiarity of GM plants is the presence of alien genes in the original genome, the genes provide the characteristics to the plants. The first wave of GM plants had agronomical advantages (resistance to pathogens, herbicides etc.). The second wave - plants with new qualitative indices: improved fat-and-acidic structure, increased vitamin content, resistance to abiotic stresses (draughts, frosts, soil salinity). The third wave - plants-biofactories, which are able to produce pharmaceutical products, plants-vaccines.
- Are GM plants so harmful for the human organism, as it is commonly supposed in Ukraine?
- The first commercial GM plants appeared in 1994. The large-scale growing of transgenic plants started in 1996. В 2008, transgenic plants were grown throughout the areas of 125 mln ha. During 15 years of the large-scale growing and usage of GM plants, nobody registered any negative influence of such plants and products on the health of people and animals.
- Your company deals with working in the sphere of GM plants. Would you tell about the company?
- The company Monsanto is the active participant of the agricultural market, and especially the biotechnological sector. We produce plant protectors, traditional varieties and hybrids of agricultural crops, the company created grains and oilseeds, which are resistant to various herbicides and illnesses.
Interviewed Julia Trautskaya
