RT Journal T1 BIOSAFETY ASSESSMENT OF LOCALLY DEVELOPED TRANSGENIC SUGARCANE A1 A. Hameed A1 I. A. Nasir A1 B. Tabassum A1 Z. Qamar A1 M. Zameer A1 M. Younus A1 A. Q. Rao A1 B. Rashid A1 M. Tariq A1 G. A. Khan A1 M. Ali A1 M. S. Anjum A1 S. Ahmed A1 J. A. Bhatti A1 T. R. Samiullah A1 T. Husnain JF Journal of Animal and Plant Sciences JO JAPS SN 1018-7081 VO 26 IS 4 SP 1124 OP 1132 YR 2016 FD 2016/08/01 DO DOI NA AB

Genetically modified organisms have become obligatory to adopt certain precautions to overcome the risks related to release of GMOs. Through this study, an attempt was made to evaluate bio-safety concerns of transgenic sugarcane with insect resistant gene, Cry1Ac. In short term feeding trial of 120 days, 20 broiler chicks divided into four random groups were caged separately. Group-I fed on commercial chicken diet; group-II fed on non-transgenic sugarcane diet; group-III fed on transgenic diet (commercial to transgenic ratio was 1:1) while group-IV was fed on high dose transgenic diet (commercial to transgenic ratio was 1:2). Body weights of chicks increased normally in all four groups during the course of study. Biochemical tests and molecular tests done on chick’s blood reported no significant difference among assorted groups. At the termination of the experiment, chicks were slaughtered and dissected vital organs were used for histological studies. It was found that tissues belong to group 3 and 4 were morphologically and histological similar to group 1 and 2. Also, no mRNA expression was observed in total RNA isolated from chicken’s tissues. These findings suggest that there was no deleterious or harmful effect of the GM sugarcane on the chick’s health and no transgene fragment has transferred from GM crop to animal’s blood neither in their vital tissues. Conclusively, it is suggested that at least in short-term period feeding trial, the genetically modified sugarcane doesn’t not have adverse effect on animals feeding them.

K1 Bt Sugarcane, Feeding Trial, Broiler chicks, Biosafety assessment PB Pakistan Agricultural Scientists Forum LK https://thejaps.org.pk/AbstractView.aspx?mid=2016-JAPS-147