No breach of GM trees at Scion, says MAF

Claims that Rotorua's Scion may be allowing the spread of genetically modified pollen are unfounded, say government officials.

The Soil and Health Association of New Zealand says 50 genetically modified pine trees in a field trial at the Crown Research Institute are at risk of spreading pollen due to consent breaches.

Officials from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF), which inspects the site, say the claims are unwarranted and there is no breach.

The latest criticism of the GM trial at Scion follows an attack on the trees in January in which 19 were chopped down in an apparent protest.

Soil and Health spokesman Steffan Browning, said Scion had breached its consent by not pruning the trees' lower branches to within 2m. He claims the "bushy" and "unhedged" trees make it harder for inspectors to detect pollen-producing buds and remove them before they release pollen.

That's not so, says MAF. Kathryn Hurr, a senior adviser for containment facilities for MAF, said inspectors were satisfied Scion hadn't breached its consent.

"The main issue in the consent is whether reproductive material is removed and we are satisfied that is the case."

The trees' main trunks were allowed to grow up to 5m tall. All reproductive buds have to be removed and destroyed as soon as they became visible, she said. Pruning the lateral branches would increase the overall size of the trees and the number of reproductive buds.

MAF's biosecurity division is required to inspect the trees in April and November each year. Scion researchers check them every week and look for reproductive buds.

Elspeth MacRae, Scion's group manager for biomaterials research, said reproductive buds become visible from March. They are destroyed or taken to Scion's genetically modified organisms greenhouse long before they mature or released pollen, which occurs in July at the earliest.

Ms MacRae said there was little chance for the "highly visible" buds to be missed.

Scion sparked controversy in 2003 when researchers transferred 67 genetically modified pine trees from its greenhouse to the field site. Opponents of genetic modification protested outside Scion.

The latest attack in January saw protesters dig a hole under an electric fence, allowing someone to burrow underneath. Nineteen pine trees were chopped down, leaving 50 genetically modified trees and seven unmodified "control" trees. Police investigated but no arrests were made.