'Plant Breeding: Sustaining the Future' Abstracts of the XVIth EUCARPIA Congress, Edinburgh, Scotland, 10-14 September 2001 THE FUTURE FOR TRANSGENIC CROPS B. MIFLIN, L. TRUST  IACR- Rothamsted, Harpenden, Herts AL5 2JQ, England

Direct gene transfer into crop plants is potentially a very powerful technique for plant breeding. Already a substantial number of genetically modified (GM) crops have been produced and currently occupy millions of hectares around the world. The rate of uptake of these crops, in the markets where they are sold, has surpassed any previous adoption of new varieties. Studies on their use and their benefits have been made and will be reviewed. These show that they can provide established benefits for the farmer, for animal and human health and for the environment.

Besides their commercial uptake in the developed world, many projects have produced GM crop plants that might have considerable benefit in developing nations and the poorer parts of the world. These include the ‘golden rice’, maize capable of growing on acid soils and virus-resistant potatoes.

This story of promise has another side. GM crops are not grown in Europe and their products are, in the main, banned from European supermarket shelves. Their introduction and use has been the subject of widespread opposition. GM crops have been the focus of a number of multinational protest and environmental groups. They have not achieved social acceptance in Europe.

The potential for future progress in developing new types of GM crops is considerable. Targets will include continued enhancement and development of crops that resist pests and diseases. Pipeline products also include those that have improved stress resistance and better nutritional qualities. In the longer term one can imagine products based on our exponentially expanding knowledge of the plant genome and the genetic control of plant metabolism and development. However, there will need to be much research to achieve this, as there are a number of complex issues to be dealt with. Effective progress will probably need to incorporate the advances arising for molecular markers and mapping of key agronomic traits.

Future progress will, however, crucially depend on social acceptance of the technology. It may be that the current European view will hold sway in the rest of the world or, alternatively, that Europe will become a technological backwater in a world of GM improved crops. Some of the issues that influence the debate will be reviewed.