Virginia Cooperative Extension - Knowledge for the CommonWealth

Commercial Status of Transgenic Crops and Microorganisms

Final 1997 Update

The years 1996 and 1997 will be viewed as historic in agriculture because of the first large-scale introductions of genetically altered (engineered or transgenic) crops and microorganisms (live inoculants) for agricultural uses. The following three-category list describes (1) the transgenic crops and microorganisms currently deregulated, (2) transgenic crops currently undergoing deregulation review, and (3) transgenic crops field tested under permit in 1997. These three categories represent the evaluation process used by USDA-APHIS in guiding applications through the regulatory structure that governs field tests and commercialization.

1. Transgenic Crops and Microorganisms Currently Deregulated

This first category contains 26 crops and 6 microorganisms (live inoculants) that have been deregulated and can be commercialized. There is no requirement for the company that owns a particular crop or microbe to commercialize it (the owner may license or sell it to another company), but most have been commercialized. Engineered corn, cotton, and tomato make up 16 of the 26 crops in this category. Herbicide tolerance and insect resistance are the major genetic constructions in field crops, while delayed ripening and flavor enhancement are the novel properties in tomatoes. Planted acreage of all engineered crops was small in 1996 due to limited seed supply but acreage expanded rapidly in 1997. Acreage is expected to continue to increase quickly over the next few years, but will be concentrated in states that normally plant large acreages of the non-engineered crops. The 6 bacterial inoculants represent the first approvals to commercialize genetically engineered microorganisms. These underwent extensive review prior to approval because of concerns over releasing engineered organisms into the environment.

Soybean

Corn

Cotton

Tomato

Canola

Potato

Squash

Papaya

Inoculants (Live Bacteria)

2. Transgenic Crops now under Deregulation Review

This second category includes 7 transgenic crops currently undergoing regulatory review for commercialization. There is no way to tell how many of these will receive approval, but as industry becomes more familiar with the regulatory structure (and based on the 1997 approval record) it is safe to assume that most of these will be granted commercial status.

Corn

Soybean

Cotton

Tomato

3. Other Transgenic Crops under 1997 USDA Field Test Permits

This third category represents engineered materials that were only in the field test stage as of last field season. While there is no way to tell which of these will go forward to deregulation review, it is certain that the "next generation" of engineered products will come from this list. The most striking aspect about this list is the expansion of plants with engineered traits into flowers, trees, grasses, and fruits, as well as an expanded list of field crops and vegetables.

Field Crops
Canola, Cotton, Alfalfa, Corn, Soybeans, Barley, Rice, Wheat, Tobacco

Flowers
Gladiolus, Petunia, Chrysanthemum

Trees
Poplar, Spruce, Sweetgum

Oil
Soybean, Sunflower, Peanut

Nut
Walnut

Grasses
Creeping bentgrass, Bluegrass

Sugar Content
Beet, Sugarcane

Fruits
Apple, Cranberry, Grape, Melon, Plum, Raspberry, Strawberry, Watermelon

Vegetables
Broccoli, Carrot, Cucumber, Eggplant, Lettuce, Pea, Pepper, Squash, Tomato
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