Effects of the cultivation of genetically modified Bt crops on nontarget soil organisms - Microbial Ecology in Sustainable Agroecosystems - page 152

8.1 Introduction
Genetically modified (GM) crops were first commercially introduced in 1996 and are
now cultivated in at least 25 countries ( Table 8.1 ; James, 2010). Historically, the primary
types of GM crops cultivated were herbicide tolerant (i.e., Roundup Ready ® soybean) and
insect resistant (genetically engineered to express a gene from Bacillus thuringiensis, i.e., Bt
maize), but more recently new GM cultivars have been developed that offer stacked traits
(herbicide tolerance plus resistance to multiple insect pests); increased stress tolerance (e.g.,
salt-stress- or drought-tolerant varieties); improved nutrient status; physiological enhance-
ments (longer storage, delayed ripening); and even pharmaceutical crops engineered to
produce drugs, human growth hormones, and other products of medical interest (Stotzky

Table 8.1 Global Area of Genetically Modified Crops in 2010: By Country (million hectares)

Area
(million hectares)

Rank Country Biotech crops

1 United States 66.8 Maize, soybean, cotton, canola, sugar beet, alfalfa,

papaya, squash

2 Brazil 25.4 Soybean, maize, cotton

3 Argentina 22.9 Soybean, maize, cotton

4 India 9.4 Cotton

5 Canada 8.8 Canola, maize, soybean, sugar beet

6 China 3.5 Cotton, tomato, poplar, papaya, sweet pepper

7 Paraguay 2.6 Soybean

8 Pakistan 2.4 Cotton

9 South Africa 2.2 Maize, soybean, cotton

10 Uruguay 1.1 Soybean, maize

11 Bolivia 0.9 Soybean

12 Australia 0.7 Cotton, canola

13 Philippines 0.5 Maize

14 Myanmar 0.3 Cotton

15 Burkina Faso 0.3 Cotton

16 Spain 0.1 Maize

17 Mexico 0.1 Cotton, soybean

18 Columbia <0.1 Cotton

19 Chile <0.1 Maize, soybean, canola

20 Honduras <0.1 Maize

21 Portugal <0.1 Maize

22 Czech Republic <0.1 Maize, potato

23 Poland <0.1 Maize

24 Egypt <0.1 Maize

25 Slovakia <0.1 Maize

26 Costa Rica <0.1 Cotton, soybean

27 Romania <0.1 Maize

28 Sweden <0.1 Potato

29 Germany <0.1 Potato

Source: James, C. 2010. Global status of commercialized biotech/GM crops: 2010. ISAAA brief 42-2010: executive
summary. http://isaaa.org/resources/publications/briefs/42/executivesummary/default.asp . With permission.