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R. N. BEACHY, Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, 975 N. Warson Rd., Saint Louis, MO 63105 Agricultural biotechnology has produced of a number of economic successes for farmers in the U.S., Brazil, Canada, Argentina, China and a few other countries. For the most part, the technologies have been used to enhance efficiency of production of crops of high value and low volume (eg, papaya, squash), or high volume of low value commodities (e.g., corn, soybean, cotton, canola). In contrast there have not yet been releases of crops that target the needs of the poor and malnourished in developing countries. While the private sector, and to some extent public sector researchers, have been criticized for their focus on commercial applications of biotechnology, a great deal of research is being conducted to genetically enhance a variety of other crops that are grown primarily in developing countries. Examples include: cassava, sweet potato, peanuts, papaya, tomato, and many other crops with resistance to virus diseases endemic in Africa and Asia; banana plants that are resistant to the black sigatoka fungal disease; food crops that have enhanced levels of proteins, vitamins, including provitamin A, folic acid, vitamin E, as well as zinc, iron and other micronutrients. These and other 'laboratory advances' have not yet reached the stage of advanced trials, or passed through the regulatory pathways that will ultimately determine their use. In cases of plants that may provide enhanced nutritional food value, studies of efficacy and validation are required. In cases in which pests and pathogens are targeted for control, studies of safety (environmental and consumer oriented) must be addressed. Each of these will require substantial financial and technical commitment to bring products to market; furthermore, the cost associated with developing a market-ready crop may be so great that certain technologies will not be adapted, regardless of their potential beneficial effects. The dichotomy between technical capability/great promise and cost of regulatory approval will challenge the technology in the short term: implications in the long term are not yet clear.
Session 13, Second generation genetically modified foods
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