Soils

The research indicates that both the GE plant and the herbicide regime associated with it may be responsible for changing the composition of soils. Changes in the nature of soils may have significant direct, indirect and downstream ecological impacts.

GE on Australian soil

Herbicide tolerant canola has been approved for commercial release in Australia by the Office of the Gene Technology Regulator (OGTR) without critical questions about GE’s impact on soils being addressed. No studies, research, or trials relating to soil health have been carried out or required by the OGTR.

The latest work from the CSIRO made public only after OGTR approvals were granted indicates not only that GE plants have a significant impact on soils, but that substantial research is still needed in order to understand the nature and likely impacts of the soil changes.

Affecting soil health

Recent research reveals for the first time that the roots of the GE crop ‘Bt cotton’, for example, exude significant quantities of the Bt toxin, and that the toxin has altered microbial soil populations. Bt cotton was released in Australia with the approval of the OGTR without this information. The persistence, scope and impacts of these soil changes are currently unknown.

A summary of recent research on soils and GE is now available from the Department of Environment and Heritage (DEH). They recommend that prior to any further release of Bt plants in Australia there should be:

• Further investigation of the potential for long-term persistence of Bt-toxin in Australian soils;
• More detailed investigations on the short and long term impacts of Bt-toxins on soil ecosystems; and
• Technical improvement of methods to quantify Bt-toxin in soil.