Contents - Faperta

440 Biotechnological Approaches for Pest Management and Ecological Sustainability
Conclusions
Genetically modifi ed plants have been released in several countries, but the regulations
governing the use of transgenic plants vary considerably in different countries. The
decisions that address the concerns associated with the application of biotechnology to
agriculture must be science based. The regulatory agencies should assure credibility and
use a rational basis for decision making. The approach to risk assessment and risk management
is constantly evolving due to new types of products and the availability of scientifi
c information. Long-term ecological risk can be determined from the probability that
an initially rare transgene might spread into the ecosystem, resulting in vertical gene
transfer as a result of gene introgression into feral populations, invasion of new territories
as a result of introduction of an exotic species, and horizontal gene transfer mediated by
microbial agents, or a combination of these.
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