Australia's Office of Gene Technology Regulation (OGTR) has granted the University of Adelaide a DIR 201 license allowing it to conduct field trials of genetically modified wheat and barley to improve yield and resilience to climatic and environmental conditions other stress factors should increase, according to the International Organization for Agriculturebiotechnology ISAAA.
The field trials will be conducted at a single site in South Australia with a maximum cultivation area of 2 hectares per year. The evaluation of the effectiveness of GM wheat and GM barley in the Australian field will run from May 2024 to January 2029. The grain from this field trial is not approved as food for humans or animals.
In its statement, the regulator concludes that this limited and controlled trial does not pose any significant risks to people or the environment. However, as this is a field trial, albeit under limited and controlled conditions, permit conditions were issued to limit the time and place of the trial and to limit the size of the trial areas in order to prevent the spread of the tested genetically modified plants beyond the trial areas .
Source: Ukragroconsult (Ukraine)
