Genetic Engineering of Crop Plants for Enhanced Resistance to Insects and Diseases in Iran

Huge yield losses and deterioration of quality of cultivated plants occur due to continuous exposure of plants to pathogens and insect pests. The excessive use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers in modern agriculture result in a deterioration of soil fertility and through intracellular accumulation pesticide-resistant mutants of insects and plant pathogens have emerged worldwide. A number of plant species have been successfully transformed for resistance to insects, bacteria, viral, fungal pathogens and nematodes. These transgenic plants have been extensively field tested meeting the stringent biosafety guidelines and released for commercial cultivation since 1990. Genetically modified pest resistant crops have been attracting attention recently as alternatives to chemical pesticides in Iran. Iran is the first country in the region producing two transgenic plants (rice resistant to pests and cotton resistant to pests and disease) ready for release after the regulation processes. The first field trial on transgenic plants in Iran was conducted in 2004. GM rice and cotton are now under biosafety assessments. Furthermore, research on other transgenic plants such as rapeseed, wheat, palm, corn, alfalfa and potato for enhanced pest and disease resistance is underway. Currently, the National Biosafety Committee has submitted the draft of the National Biosafety Law (NBL) to the parliament for ratification. Ratification of the NBL will help to release these GM crops in the near future and modern biotechnology will certainly become one of the important components of agriculture in Iran. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________