Fed: Aust GM canola seed planned for Canada

AAP General News (Australia)
12-11-2000
Fed: Aust GM canola seed planned for Canada

CANBERRA, Dec 11 AAP - Genetically altered canola would be grown in Australia and its
seed sent to Canada under a proposal before the nation's genetic modification watchdog.

The Genetic Manipulation Advisory Committee (GMAC) has received two new proposals for
the field release of genetically modified crops, including the canola plan.

Multinational agri-business Aventis wants to plant 1,100 hectares of genetically modified
canola at a range of sites in Western Australia, South Australia, Queensland and Victoria
in May next year.

Under the plan, another crop would be released for planting in Victoria, South Australia
and Tasmania in September 2001.

The canola has been altered to make it tolerant to the widely used herbicide glufosinate,
enabling the crop to be sprayed with chemicals that kill broadleaf and grass weeds.

Aventis wants to send seed obtained from the modified canola to a trial taking place
in Canada were it is at the centre of a breeding program.

During the winter growing period, a new system for making hybrid varieties of canola
will be tested with the aim of boosting yields from the crop.

Agriculture Victoria, the state's agriculture department, wants to trial genetically
modified white clover at Hamilton in western Victoria and near Howlong on the NSW/Victorian
border.

The department has altered the clover to be immune to infection from at least two strains
of the alfalfa mosaic virus.

The virus can be extremely dangerous to dairy cattle, with outbreaks causing substantial
economic loss to dairy farmers.

Already the department has found in glasshouse trials that it can alter the clover
to be resistant to the virus by using genetic material from the virus itself.

It now wants to see if this can be repeated in field trials.

GMAC is also taking public comment on five proposals to extend genetic modification
trials covering canola, Indian mustard, grapevines and oilseed poppy.

AAP sw/daw/jas

KEYWORD: GENE CROPS

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