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AUS CANOLA TASKFORCE RELEASES RESULTS
10 November 2005. Media release Australian Oilseeds Federation
Industry Taskforce Releases Canola Test Results
The industry Taskforce investigating the source of genetically modified (GM) material found in a conventional canola consignment has released its results.
The taskforce was convened by the Australian Oilseeds Federation and the Australian Seeds Federation to identify the source of trace amounts of genetically modified material that was detected in a small consignment of conventional canola earlier this year.
Each of the canola growing States has a moratorium on the commercial production of
GM canola.
The industry Taskforce appointed Jim McDonald to provide technical expertise in developing and overseeing the testing to identify the source of the Topas 19/2 presence.
Mr McDonald said the testing had confirmed that GM material was present in the canola line Grace, which has been grown in each Australian canola growing State during recent years.
The testing also confirmed the level of presence was between 0.01 per cent and 0.4 per cent, Mr McDonald said.
The testing processes included the following steps:
- PCR testing of 55 commercially available seed lines down to 0.01 per cent. All of these tests were negative.
- Grow out and spray test of one million seeds from the original grain consignment of canola. This identified 160 surviving plants (or 0.016 per cent)
- Comparison of surviving plants with commercially available varieties along with further testing confirmed Grace as the only variety containing Topas 19/2.
Mr McDonald said the level of GM presence in Grace was well below the 0.9 per cent threshold for crops and below the 0.5 percent threshold for seed established by Federal and State Ministers at the Primary Industries Ministerial Council meeting.
The finding of low levels of GM canola in Grace supports the establishment of pragmatic thresholds by the States with a moratorium in place.
Whilst the terms of reference for the Taskforce are now complete, the industry still needs to discuss best practice guidelines for managing the adventitious presence of GM canola in conventional canola crops, grain consignments and seed lines.
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