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Import and processing of MON15985

Advisory reports | 20.10.2008 | 081020-01

COGEM has been asked to advice on an application concerning the import and processing for use in food and feed of cotton line MON15985. Cultivation is not part of this application.
MON15985 cotton was produced by inserting the cry2Ab2 and uidA genes into the genome of the genetically modified cotton line MON531, which already contained the cry1Ac and nptII genes. As a result, this line is resistant to certain insects of the lepidopteran order. The presence of the nptII and uidA marker genes simplifies the selection of transformed cotton cells.
In Europe, no wild relatives of cotton are present and modern cotton cultivars do not possess any of the attributes commonly associated with problematic weeds. There are no reasons to assume that the genes inserted will increase the potential of the cotton to establish feral populations. In Europe, establishment of feral populations has never been observed. Moreover, cotton cannot survive the climatological conditions in Northwest Europe. Therefore, COGEM is of the opinion that incidental spillage of seeds of this cotton line will not pose a risk to the environment in Northwest Europe.

In view of these considerations, COGEM is of the opinion that import and processing of cotton line MON15985 does not pose a significant risk to the environment in the Netherlands.
 

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