Bagavathiannan, Muthukumar | India
Fellow at IAS-STS 2008/2009
Muthu hails from a farming family in rural India. His strong passion towards farming and farmers led him to the agricultural profession and he graduated with a B.Sc. in agriculture and an M.Sc. in agronomy from Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, India. Then he moved to England for another masters in plant genetic manipulation at the University of Nottingham, where he realized the potential benefits the biotechnological tools can offer to the society along with the potential risks they can pose to human beings and the environment if they are not properly regulated and used. Jean Rostand rightly mentioned ‘Science has made us gods even before we are worthy of being man’.
Biotechnological tools are increasingly used in crop improvement as they are often very efficient and productive when compared to conventional breeding techniques. Thanks to modern biotechnology, we are now able to develop cultivars that resist pests, diseases and tolerate such unfavorable conditions as drought and salinity and that we are able to extend crop cultivation even in areas that were previously considered unsuitable. However, there is an ever increasing debate on whether or not genetically modified (GM) crops need to be accepted and included in the current agricultural landscapes. Some countries such as those in the Europe didn’t allow cultivation of GM crops while countries like USA and Canada were already growing them for over a decade. The public is often unclear about the benefits and risks associated with GM crops. It is critical that any scientific innovation is handled in such a way that the innovation can only benefit the public and the environment they live. Development and execution of stringent regulatory measures are vital to ensure the safe use of any technology.
With this interest, Muthu started a Ph.D. at the University of Manitoba, Canada and currently working on characterizing the nature of feral alfalfa populations occurring in the road verges and their potential role in intraspecific novel trait movement at landscape level. This project has hugely benefited from his major advisor Dr. Rene Van Acker’s expertise and previous works in the area of novel trait confinement and plant biosafety research. Muthu realizes the value of inter-disciplinary research efforts and collaborations in identifying appropriate policy and regulatory measures for the safe use of GM crops and during this visiting fellowship, he will be working with Dr. Armin Spök at the Inter University Research Centre for Technology, Work and Culture (IFZ) to analyze the current regulatory and policy frameworks followed in the approval of plants with novel traits [PNT] with special reference to genetically modified glyphosate resistant (GM-GR) alfalfa in Canada.
Project at IAS-STS: Investigation of the risk assessment policies for the regulation of herbicide resistant alfalfa in Canada
Technological innovations in plant biotechnology have the potential to deliver more environmentally friendly farming systems (McHughen, 2007). Although the technology is beneficial to both developed and developing countries (Jaffe, 2004), the risks remain uncertain as the variety of traits that could be introduced is very broad (Dunwell, 1999). To reap the potential benefits of transgenic crops, these crops need to be safe to humans and the environment. The second generation transgenic crops that are currently under development include a much wider range of traits than the first generation and these new traits include nutritional alterations and the production of pharmaceuticals and industrial products. As the new products of biotechnology are being developed, concerns grow regarding the safety of these products. Policy makers have responded to these concerns by imposing regulatory measures to ensure the human health and environmental safety of these products prior to commercialization (Marvier, 2002).
However, current regulatory regimes do not target, capture and control the products posing the greatest risks and as a result, real threats to food, feed and environment remain unchecked (McHughen, 2007). The influence of plant biotechnology on Canadian agriculture and its environment, economy and society continues to grow and the introduction of this technology is already posing new challenges for the existing regulatory system. This demonstrates the need for a comprehensive review of the procedures followed in current GM risk assessment processes.
Alfalfa is the first perennial, highly outcrossing crop to be genetically modified and approved for unconfined release. Herbicide resistant alfalfa was already grown in the USA for some time but received moratorium for further cultivation in light of the concerns that they contaminate organic and conventional alfalfa fields. In Canada, herbicide resistant alfalfa was approved for unconfined release but not yet commercially available. Recent moratorium in the USA questions the regulatory frameworks followed in approving these herbicide resistant events. It further directs to the need for identifying stringent policies and regulations. The primary objective of Muthu’s visit is to conduct an integrated analysis of current regulatory policies and procedures followed with respect to the regulation of plants with novel traits. In particular, he will be investigating the policies relevant to the regulation of genetically modified glyphosate resistant alfalfa in Canada.
Selected Publications
Bagavathiannan, M.V., and R.C. Van Acker. 2008a. Crop ferality: Implications for novel trait confinement. Agric. Ecosys. Environ. 127: 1-6.
Bagavathiannan, M.V., and R.C. Van Acker. 2008b. The ability of Medicago sativa (alfalfa) to establish feral populations in natural and semi-natural environments in Western Canada. In Proc. of the fifth International Weed Science Society Congress, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
Bagavathiannan, M.V., R.C. Van Acker, M.H. Entz, S. McLachlan, and L. Friesen. 2007a. Ecology of feral alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) populations along the road verges of Southern Manitoba. In Proc. of Plant Canada Symposium, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.
Bagavathiannan, M.V., and R.C. Van Acker. 2007b. Feral nature of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.): Potential barrier for the co-existence of genetically modified and conventional alfalfa in diverse production systems. In Proc. Of the third international conference on co-existence between genetically modified (GM) and non-GM based agricultural supply chains (GMCC), Seville, Spain.
Bagavathiannan, M.V., R.C. Van Acker, L. Friesen, M.H. Entz, and S. McLachlan. 2006. Feral nature of alfalfa: what role they could play in transgenic trait movement? In Proc. of Manitoba agronomists’ conference, The University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada