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The Hidden Risks of Gene-Editing Pesticides
Context:
A recent study raises significant concerns about genetic pesticide safety, particularly regarding their potential impact on non-target organisms (NTOs) in outdoor farming environments.
More on News:
- Scientists from Brazil, New Zealand, and Norway, investigate the unintended effects of genetic pesticides on various species in farming environments.
- The study involved analysing 18 species, including humans, farm animals (cattle, chickens), insects (pollinators), earthworms, fungi, and crops such as maize, cotton, and soybean.
Genetic Pesticides
- As agricultural technologies advance, new tools promise to be more environmentally friendly alternatives to traditional chemical pesticides.
- Unlike conventional pesticides, which can have broad, detrimental effects on the environment, genetic pesticides aim to specifically alter the genes of pests.
- They are gene-editing techniques used to target crop pests and are touted for their potential to reduce environmental and chemical impacts.
Key Highlights:
- Some regions, including the European Union and New Zealand, are considering deregulating ‘gene modifying’ procedures due to their proposed economic, social, and environmental benefits.
- The research highlighted that genetic pesticides could unintentionally affect humans, animals, and plants through contact, inhalation, or ingestion which raises concerns about their overall biological impact.
- The team identified three major pests for potential targeting with outdoor gene-editing pesticides: Western corn rootworm, red flour beetle, and the fungus Sclerotinia sclerotium.
- Using the CRISPR/Cas9 tool in three application scenarios: irrigation water, fumigation or spraying, and direct pellet applications into the soil.
- Computer predictive modelling revealed that 12 out of 18 species could experience unintended hybridisation.
- Metabolic enrichment analysis identified 155 enriched metabolic pathways across 12 species, with the majority of impacts observed in the human genome.
Impacts:
- The research found potential impacts on human genomic regions related to cancer and hormone metabolism.
- In plants and animals, genetic pesticides could disrupt immune responses, essential molecule biosynthesis, and central nervous system functions.
Regulatory and Safety Implications:
- The researchers stress the necessity for new risk assessment frameworks for genetic engineering applications outside laboratory settings.
- Including genetic pesticides in legal instruments to manage risks associated with emerging contaminants and potential hazards to human and environmental health.
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Non-Target Organisms (NTOs)
Examples:
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