Spread of engineered genes to wild relatives.

Over the past 20 years, it has become possible to isolate genes from microbes, plants, and animals and to insert them into a range of plant species. During the next two decades, it is likely that genetically engineered crops will become widespread in agriculture. This presents new opportunities for making plants resistant to pests and diseases, better able to withstand stressful environments, and capable of producing better quality products. As with most significant advances in biological science, questions are raised about the consequences of these developments to life and the environment. One of the principal queries about the widespread use of genetically engineered crops is the likelihood and possible consequences of the introduced genes (transgenes) being transferred by cross-pollination to wild populations of plants. What would happen, for instance, if a transgene conferring resistance to a herbicide or to an important pest became established in a wild plant population? The aim in this short review is to discuss the likelihood of gene transfer and its possible consequences and what procedures are being adopted to evaluate novel transgenic plants before they are used for widespread cultivation.