www.checkbiotech.org ; www.czu.cz ; www.raupp.info

If you asked consumers whether they would like to buy potatoes which hadn't
been sprayed eight to 10 times for potato blight, one would assume most
would be in favour, December 2006.

Of course, ask them if they wanted to eat genetically-modified spuds and
the answer might be very different.

Commercially that's what BASF will have to work hard to overcome in the next
eight to 10 years - it is going to be that long before its blight-resistant
GM potatoes are likely to be launched.

Proving the technical performance looks like it should be much more
straightforward. Initial trials conducted in Sweden in the past two years,
and in Germany and Holland last year, have shown a very high level of blight
resistance, according to Andy Beadle, BASF project manager.

"In the trials I've seen we haven't needed to spray the potatoes for blight
after we've inoculated with the disease."

Way ahead

That puts them way ahead of most commercial varieties for blight resistance.
"We've been doing work with the breeders, who have a mechanism for scoring
blight resistance when they are developing varieties, and most of our GM
varieties have been scoring 8 or 9 for resistance.

"The breeders themselves have been very impressed. It looks like this could
be a quantum leap forward." Most commercial second early or maincrop
varieties score 6 or below for blight resistance.

The genes BASF has been using to create the increased resistance to blight
come from a wild potato relative, which probably developed its resistance
because it co-evolved with the fungus in Mexico.

Scientists have known about the gene since the 1950s, but, according to
BASF, it has proved impossible to cross it with cultivated potatoes. The
only method to transfer the resistance has been through biotechnology.

Introducing the genes seems a bit of a scattergun affair. "When you insert
the gene into the plant there are many events, ie it goes into the plant in
many places," Mr Beadle explains.

Positive effect

The first two years of trials have been discovering which of these events
have a positive effect. "We have a significant number of events we are
pursuing - we started with over 500 - but expect to initially select just
three to go forward with by 2008."

The first generation product uses two genes from the wild relative to confer
resistance. "The genes operate in completely different ways."

The mechanism is a common plant defence reaction in nature. When the plant
is infected with blight the gene causes the tissue around the infection to
die off, stopping the spread of the disease.

But by having two different modes of action the firm believes it should help
combat resistance development. "It means the beastie has to evolve to get
round both resistance sources, and we have other resistance genes that we
can use in future products to complement and enhance resistance."

The next set of trials will begin to assess the wider management
implications of using the technology. At the moment BASF is, perhaps
understandably, being cautious about suggesting it will stop the need for
blight sprays. "Our hypothesis is it will dramatically reduce blight sprays,
but to get the most out of the technology we need to use an integrated
management strategy," Mr Beadle says. "At a minimum the trait should
significantly increase spray intervals."

It could go further - the evidence to date suggests the genes can give
season-long control without the need for follow-up sprays. But that needs to
be tested in UK conditions, and over a number of years to investigate
reliability and durability. And even if blight is effectively controlled
there could still be a need to spray fungicides for other diseases because
the genes are specific for blight.

The planned field trials in Cambridgeshire and Derbyshire are only the start
of a development programme to select the final variety, BASF says. "From
that point eight to 10 years are needed before it can be introduced into the
market."

That might be just as well - the PR campaign for public support no doubt
starts now.

For industry reaction to the announcement of the trials go-ahead see News.
More details can be found at :
www.defra.gov.uk/environment/gm/regulation/consents/index.htm

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