Strategies to monitor the adventitious presence of transgenes in ex situ collections

Abstract

With the advent of genetic engineering technologies enabling transfer of foreign genes in plants, immense benefits have been drawn in terms of increased yield, better nutritional quality and resistance to biotic and abiotic factors. With such immense benefits, there is also the need to undertake risk assessment studies systematically to allay the fears about the impact of GM crops on the genetic diversity. National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR) is the nodal institute for management of indigenous and exotic plant genetic resources for food and agriculture and to carry out related research. National Genebank at NBPGR conserves more than 377 000 germplasm accessions of field and horticultural crops and their wild relatives. As the main purpose of Genebanks is to collect, conserve and make genetic resources available to the breeders, so the maintenance of the purity of genetic identity of the accessions is of critical importance. All possible efforts need to be made to prevent the adventitious presence of transgenes into the samples conserved in the Genebanks. To achieve this, most appropriate and effective strategies to monitor the unintentional presence of transgenes in ex situ collections are required to be put in place.