News
Light-emitting crops require a careful safety assessment
With the help of biotechnology, it is possible to develop crops that can emit light when they are diseased, for example. These light-emitting plants, also called phytosensors, offer promising applications in agriculture. However, before these innovative crops can be used on a large scale, a careful assessment of the possible risks is essential. This is stated by researchers from Wageningen Food Safety Research in the publication ‘A green light for phytosensors?’
Light signals
Phytosensors are genetically modified plants (not intended for consumption) that emit light signals when they are diseased, stressed or damaged, for example. These light signals can be picked up by a drone or special sensor. The plants are modified in such a way that they sense symptoms, such as stress, sooner than a non-modified plant. If one grows the phytosensors next to a field with the same crop and they emit a stress signal, the farmer can intervene in time and in a targeted manner among the regular plants. Phytosensors of food crops are not yet on the market, but they are already being tested in the field in the United States. Although this technology offers great practical advantages, it also raises questions about safety and regulations.
Separating phytosensors from regular crops
A key point from the research is that these plants, like other genetically modified organisms (GMOs), may not simply mingle with crops intended for food or animal feed. The authors recommend taking measures at an early stage to properly separate the cultivation and distribution of phytosensors from the production, harvesting and processing of regular crops.
Another recommendation is to have the safety of these plants for humans, animals and the environment tested, even if they are not intended to be eaten. This allows potential risks to be identified early on.
The publication is published in the scientific journal ‘Trends in Biotechnology’.