THE purity of seed for the last round of GM crop trials for winter oil seed rape has been confirmed, reports the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
Following the discovery in August of additional GM material in spring oil seed rape seed, DEFRA suspended the autumn sowing and required detailed testing be carried out of the seed due to be sown this autumn.
This was carried out by Aventis Cropscience, the company that provides the GM seed, and the GM Inspectorate at the Central Science Laboratory.
Both tests have confirmed that only the intended GM seed is present, reports DEFRA. As a result, Aventis has been authorised to go ahead with sowings which will complete the farm scale evaluation programme.
Sixteen sites in England (with a further two in Scotland) will be sown with winter oil seed rape genetically modified to be tolerant to the herbicide glufosinate ammonium. Sowing will take place over the next few weeks.
Updated: 09:30 Thursday, September 12, 2002
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