Transgenic fructan potatoes – stress tolerance and fitness compared to conventional potato strains

(2001 – 2004) Justus-Liebig University Giessen, Institute of Agronomy and Plant Breeding I

In container and field trials the genetically modified potatoes showed no variation in terms of germination or survival compared with conventional potatoes. In container trials no differences in reaction to drought were found. A deficit of plant nutrients (N, P, K) resulted in morphological, physiological and substance-related changes in the fructan potatoes, but these were deemed to be of no ecological significance in comparison with conventional varieties.

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Transgenic fructan potatoes – does genetic modification lead to unexpected metabolic changes and does this have an impact on drought tolerance?

(2001 – 2004) Max Planck Institute (MPI) of Molecular Plant Physiology, Potsdam

Climate chamber: transgenic potatoes accumulate fructans in the tubers and leaves as a result of the genetic modification. Fructan potatoes exhibit no greater drought tolerance than their unmodified parent variety. RNA expression patterns were analysed in the quest for unexpected transgene effects. Here too it was discovered that, in comparison with naturally occurring effects of drought stress, the transgene effect is considerably lower and therefore negligible.

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Transgenic fructane potatoes – possible effects on the potato beetle

(2001 – 2004) Justus Liebig University Giessen, Institute of General and Special Zoology, Working Group: Cellular recognition and defence processes (ZEAP)

In field and greenhouse trials there were no notable changes in the chewing behaviour of the Colorado potato beetle on transgenic fructan potatoes compared with conventional strains of potato. Therefore no increased risk with regard to pest abundance is expected.

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Transgenic fructan potatoes: Altered susceptibility to plant viruses?

(2001 – 2004) University of Hannover, Institute of Plant Diseases and Plant Protection

In surveys of field plants and laboratory and greenhouse experiments, potato virus y (PVY) was the most commonly occurring viral infection found over the course of the trial. Transgenic fructan potatoes were no more susceptible to PVY infection than conventional varieties. No recombinations were identified between different viruses either in samples from transgenic potatoes or non-transgenic trial variants.

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Transgenic fructan potatoes – possible ecological effects on bacteria and fungi

(2001 – 2004) Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF) e. V., Institute for Primary production and Microbiological Ecology, Müncheberg

Laboratory experiments on field samples: The population densities of the cultivable bacteria and fungi varied regardless of the transgenic and conventional potato strains under investigation. The composition of the bacterial and fungal communities of the transgenic strains, which were analysed using molecular fingerprinting techniques, also lay within the variation range of conventional varieties. The location of the plant has a significantly greater effect on the microflora in the rhizosphere than the different potato varieties.

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Transgenic fructane potatoes: phenotypical characteristics and susceptiblity to major pests and diseases

(2001 – 2004) Federal Biological Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry (BBA), Institute for Integrated Plant Protection, Kleinmachnow

No differences in yield were found between fructan potatoes and the parent variety. Some of the transgenic potato strains showed differences in the growth habit; they had a shorter main stem. The susceptibility of the transgenic potatoes to major diseases such as late potato blight and black scab or pests such as nematodes and the Colorado potato beetle lay within the same range as that of conventional potato varieties.

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