Pollen-Mediated Gene Flow between Glufosinate Ammonium-Tolerant GM and Non-GM Rice

Abstract

To assess the risk of genetically modified (GM) rice on the agricultural ecosystem, agronomic characteristics, pollen longevity and outcrossing rate between GM (Iksan 483 and Milyang 204) and non-GM (their wild types and female parents) varieties were investigated using the bar gene as a tracer marker in paddy field. The agronomic characteristics of two GM rice were similar to their female-parents (non-GM rice) except heading date and 1,000 grain weight of Iksan 483, and they did not show a difference by the introgression of the bar gene as the genetic traits of rice varieties. Pollen viability was more than 90% just after shedding, and it was rapidly decreased below 50% at 5 minutes after shedding both GM and non-GM varieties. The Pollen longevity was lost after 30 minutes of anthesis. When the distance of gene flow from GM to non-GM rice detected to 6 m from the edge of GM rice plant, the maximum distance of pollen dispersal was 4.5m and 3.9m in Iksan 483 and Milyang 204, respectively, and that was increased in order of west, south, east, and north to the dominant wind direction, west-south. Mean outcrossing rate was very low as 0.003 and 0.001% within 1.5 m from the edge of Iksan483 and Milyang 204, and the GM hybrids by the pollen dispersal did not detected over 4.5 m from the edge of GM rice plant. The results may help to establish the strategy which reduce the risk of pollen-mediated gene flow between GM and non-GM rice.