Review of the Ecological Risks of Genetically Modified Trees / 中国生物工程杂志

Delightful achievements have been obtained in forestry genetic breeding since the application of transgenic technology in this field during the past 20 years. Field trials of some genetic modified (GM) trees have been carried out, and some GM trees have been commercialized. Meanwhile, the risks of ecological safety caused by GM trees have raised attention in the public gradually. These issues mainly include the horizontal transfer and vertical flow of foreign genes, and the potential effects on insects, soil ecosystems and virus. The current status of field trials, commercial applications and the potential ecological risks of GM trees were summarized. Then the prospects of GM trees were also presented.