Transgenic Sunflower - Genetics, Genomics and Breeding of Crop Plants - page 284

9
Transgenic Sunflower
Miguel Angel Cantamutto* and María Mónica Poverene
ABSTRACT
At the beginning of the new millennium, sunflower relied on
traditional non-GM varieties, which could be a possible disadvantage
in relation to other oilseed crops. Different transformation protocols
allowed obtaining desirable transgenic traits: the oxalate-oxidase
expressing gene for fungal disease control, glyphosate tolerance by
expressing Agrobacterium gene cp4 , and the Bt toxin gene cry1 to control
Lepidoptera. Ammonium absorption, other herbicide tolerance, Cry1
variants and the CpT1 gene for pest control are new targets. Quality
can be improved through a modified protein and latex biosynthesis.
The high cost of the GM crop approval process, increased by the
probability of gene flow with wild relatives, is a constraint for the
transgenic sunflower release. Strategies designed to minimize
environmental risks and changes in consumer perception are needed
before sunflower transgenic varieties become acceptable.
Keywords: disease; pest; herbicide tolerance; transformation;
environmental risk
9.1 Introduction
Towards the end of the first biotech decade after the emergence of genetically
modified (GM) crops, sunflower still relied on traditional non-GM varieties
and faced an unprofitable position compared to other extensively grown
crops. Sunflower seed contribution amounts only to 1.24% of the world
production of cereal and oilseed grains, estimated as 2.621 million tons for
Agronomy Department, Universidad Nacional del Sur, 8000, Bahía Blanca, Argentina.