According to the results of Doiron et al. Though GMOs that are introduced for human and animal consumption have undergone toxicity studies, there are limitations to safety evaluations undertaken, which often fail to characterize the variability in toxin levels between GMOs of the same species and the long-term effects of bioaccumulation of substances they produce in the food chain. Molecular structural changes in alfalfa tissue induced by gene transformation have also been explored by using molecular structural analytical techniques [15,80,104,105]. In angiosperm species, including Medicago sativa (alfalfa), lignin consists of mainly G and S monomers with only traces of H monomer, while in gymnosperms lignin consists of a large proportion of G with low S lignin monomers [31]. Alfalfa (commonly harvested as hay) is a high-protein forage fed to animals like dairy cows, beef cattle, lambs, poultry and pigs. H., Ni W., Jung H.G., Dixon R.A. Lignin impact on fiber degradation: Increased enzymatic digestibility of genetically engineered tobacco (. Damiran D., Yu P. Structural makeup, biopolymer conformation, and biodegradation characteristics of a newly developed super genotype of oats (CDC SO-I versus conventional varieties): A novel approach. The National Farmers Union / L'Union Nationale des Fermiers, response to the joint letter on June 16, 2016, Canadian Biotechnology Action Network (CBAN), Roundup Ready (genetically modified) Alfalfa, Request for Environmental Assessment of Genetically Engineered Roundup Ready Alfalfa, The Inevitability of Contamination from GM Alfalfa Release in Ontario: The case for preventing the introduction of Roundup Ready Alfalfa, Weeding out Monsanto: The fight is on to keep Monsanto alfalfa out of Canada, GM Alfalfa in Canada: Update on unconfined release status, How GM contamination cannot be stopped if GM alfalfa is allowed to be grown in Canada, GM alfalfa threatens farmers livelihoods, Farmers Protest "Industry Spin" Designed to Facilitate Licensing of GM Alfalfa in Ontario, Fundamental Principles of a Farmers Seed Act. Government of Canada, S.C. CANSIM-004-0213Census of Agriculture, Hay and Field Crops. We also review the use of advanced molecular structural analysis in the assessment of alfalfa forage for its potential usage in quality selection in alfalfa breeding. Under the Non-GMO Project Standard, a genetically modified organism (GMO) is an organism to which biotechnology has been applied. 2. It saves time, as well. Baker M.J., Trevisan J., Bassan P., Bhargava R., Butler H.J., Dorling K.M., Fielden P.R., Fogarty S.W., Fullwood N.J., Heys K.A., et al. Corson D., Waghorn G.C., Ulyatt M.J., Lee J. NIRS: Forage analysis and livestock feeding; Proceedings of the ConferenceNew Zealand Grassland Association; Napier, New Zealand. Gmo Alfalfa Pros and Cons - SheepaDoodle In the anaerobic environment of rumen, the degradability of lignin is limited and negligible compared to that of cellulose and hemicellulose [21]. [102], heating time had an influence on molecular structures of flaxseeds, and such influence affected its rumen degradation. Ma X.F., Tudor S., Butler T., Ge Y., Xi Y., Bouton J., Harrison M., Wang Z.Y. Gou J.Y., Felippes F.F., Liu C.J., Weigel D., Wang J.W. Understanding Low and High Risk A GMO, or genetically modified organism, is a plant, animal, microorganism or other organism whose genetic makeup has been modified in a laboratory using genetic engineering or transgenic technology. GMO Crops, Animal Food, and Beyond | FDA They expressed concern that these GMO conglomerates were inhibiting public scientists from investigating GMOs for the public good, warning that lobbying and undue industry influence had made it impossible to independently analyze transgenic crops. Control of vegetative to reproductive phase transition improves biomass yield and simultaneously reduces lignin content in. Expression of wheat NHX antiporter gene, TaNHX2, in alfalfa resulted in an increase in salt tolerance [67,68]. In this article, we take a closer look at their concerns with the 14 disadvantages of GMOs for you to research and evaluate for yourself. Biomol. On March 2, 2013 at the NFU Region 3 Convention/NFU-Ontario AGM passed the resolution: Be it resolved that the National Farmers Union Ontario call on farm organizations in Ontario and across Canada, other civil society organizations and concerned consumers to join NFU-O members in a day of action against the release of GM alfalfa to be held at MPs constituency offices on April 9, 2013.. [2] expressed ibOr (sweetpotato orange gene, involves in carotenoid synthesis) in alfalfa resulting in an increase in carotenoid levels, and an improved tolerance to abiotic stresses, including oxidation, salinity, and drought tolerance. "One grower used Roundup only twice in two and a half years." 19 out of the 23 surveyed graded it an A. RR alfalfa planting seed is twice as expensive as conventional varieties . He said federal oversight was needed to keep organic crops free of genetically engineered material. GMOs can affect immune system function, 5. Efforts have been made to improve alfalfa forage yield through conventional breeding, but with very limited success [55,56]. Many academics tentatively question whether these effects could be responsible for the precipitous decline in human male sperm counts over the last 50 years. Brown M.E., Chang M.C. The authors declare no conflict of interest. Good adaptability, high biomass yield, and high nutritive value make alfalfa one of the most widely cultivated forage crops around the world. Alfalfa. Transformation of Lc-gene to alfalfa, aiming to enhance the accumulation of PAs and anthocyanins, decreased model-fitted -helix and -sheet and increased other protein structures [80]. Overexpression of SPS in alfalfa increased chlorophyll content and photosynthetic rates and increased the sucrose level in leaves, as well as root mass and nodule numbers [51]. Gene modification for improving alfalfa quality and stress tolerance could induce molecular structural changes on a molecular basis. GMOs are a completely new class of organisms that have been produced using methods that are divergent from thousands of years of plant and animal husbandry. Genetically modified food controversies - Wikipedia Farmers across the world report that GM seed companies compel seed distributors to push their products rather than valuable non-GM hybrids, enforcing their global monoculture to the detriment of the environment. To date, this advanced technique has been used to explore the intrinsic molecular structures of various feedstuffs. Such cross-reactivity is well documented in GM foods like soy rice and tomato. Vail A.W., Wang P., Uefuji H., Samac D.A., Vance C.P., Wackett L.P., Sadowsky M.J. Biodegradation of atrazine by three transgenic grasses and alfalfa expressing a modified bacterial atrazine chlorohydrolase gene. 2015: FDA approves an application for the first genetic modification in an animal for use as food, a genetically . A shocking 2012 European study that examined long-term consumption of Roundup-tolerant GM corn (maize) in rats found that it was capable of causing derangement of their estrogen and testosterone levels. Improving the ability of nutrient absorption can also increase biomass yield under certain conditions. Galbraith H. Protein and sulphur amino acid nutrition of hair fibre-producing Angora and Cashmere goats. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the Organic farmers can lose sales if genetic engineering is detected in their crops, which occurs through cross-pollination from a nearby field or through intermingling of seeds. The .gov means its official. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (, alfalfa, proanthocyanidin and anthocyanins, lignin, genetic modification, transcription factors, molecular structure. Volenec J.J., Cunningham S.M., Haagenson D.M., Berg W.K., Joern B.C., Wiersma D.W. Physiological genetics of alfalfa improvement: Past failures, future prospects. Vogel K.P., Jung H.J.G. Non-browning potato bruises contain elevated levels of the amino acid tyramine, which can cause hypertension, headaches and visual disturbances in people who cannot metabolize it. Alfalfa is grown mostly to make hay fed to dairy cows and horses. Yu P. Protein secondary structures (-helix and -sheet) at a cellular level and protein fractions in relation to rumen degradation behaviours of protein: A new approach. Farmers protest introduction of GM alfalfa | CBC News Alfalfa is almost always grown in a mix with grasses and establishes readily without the use of herbicides. The National Synchrotron Light Source in Brookhaven National Laboratory (NSLS-BNL, New York, USA) and Advanced Light Source in Berkeley National Laboratory (ALS-BNL) are supported by the U.S. Department of Energy. Gene modification and transformation were also used to enhance the tolerance of forage crops to abiotic stress conditions, such as cold, salt drought, and soil pollution. Light Source (CLS) synchrotron Centers. GMOs can produce toxic substances 2. Transgenic alfalfa plants expressing the sweetpotato orange gene exhibit enhanced abiotic stress tolerance. GMOs have the potential to be allergenic, 4. It was reported that the carbohydrate structural changes induced by gene silencing were closely related to the nutritive value of transgenic alfalfa, such as the bioenergy value and fractions of carbohydrate determined using CNCPS system [105]. Forage Genetics International has stated it will not start selling it until a co-existence plan is in place. [69] increased both salt and drought tolerance of alfalfa by overexpressing Glycine soja WRKY20, which was to enhance drought tolerance in Arabidopsis [70]. Transcriptome changes in the phenylpropanoid pathway of glycine max in response to, Schaart J.G., Dubos C., Romero de la Fuente I., van Houwelingen A.M.M.L., de Vos R.C.H., Jonker H.H., Xu W., Routaboul J.M., Lepiniec L., Bovy A.G.