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Activity Report
Rules Chapter - Progress in 2003
At the EOM 2003 the WG developed a new approach by including the GMO testing issue into chapter 8 of the International Rules for Seed Testing. A draft was prepared for the extension of the object of chapter 8 and discussed in the working group and the VAR Committee. The improved draft will be discussed during the 2004 Congress.
Proficiency Tests - Progress in 2003
The 2nd Proficiency Test on GMO Testing of Zea mays L.: 2003, the 2nd ISTA proficiency test on GMO testing was successfully finalised. 52 laboratories participated from 20 countries. 47 laboratories reported evaluable results. The results of the qualitative testing of this proficiency test showed that about 85% of the participants were able to identify all maize samples correctly. In the 2nd proficiency test additionally to the qualitative test, about 30% of the laboratories performed a quantitative test and about 30% performed a semi-quantitative test (sub-sampling test). Details of the test results can be found in the International Seed Testing, no. 126, October 2003, p. 15-17. The results of both tests showed clear evidence that an information exchange between the laboratories participating in the proficiency tests and training were necessary. A first meeting to discuss the results was held in Bassersdorf, Switzerland, in December 2003.
The 3rd Proficiency Test on GMO Testing of Zea mays L.: The 3rd proficiency test was started in December 2004. Each laboratory received 12 sample with a samples size of 1500 maize seeds. The laboratory must detect the presence of GM seeds in the 12 samples for the obligatory qualitative test. Also in this round laboratories were encouraged to perform either a sub-sampling test or quantitative test. The results will be presented at the ISTA Ordinary Meeting, Budapest, Hungary in May 2004.
Further proficiency tests, e.g. decision of crop and test design, are discussed in the Proficiency Test WG.
Further Aims
- Planning and organising proficiency tests in 2004.
- Continuing the collaboration with the STA Committee for the design of future tests and evaluation of results.
- Evaluation of the proficiency tests' results to define a proficiency system for GMO detection. Discussion about the integration of GMO proficiency tests in the ISTA Proficiency Test Programme together with Proficiency Test Committee, STA Committee, Rules and Strategy Working Group.
Exchange of Information - Progress in 2003
Members of the GMO TF published specific technical topics on GM detection in the Seed Testing International (No. 125 and 126):
- Christoph Haldemann (ISTA GMO TF Member): Genetically Modified Crops, Current situation and some considerations regarding detection techniques.
- Sylvain Grégoiré, (ISTA STA Chair) and Christoph Haldemann (ISTA GMO TF Member): ISTA GMO Proficiency Tests – Use of Results from one or more tests.
GMO detection by PCR was dealt with during the "ISTA/FAO/APAARI Workshop on Electrophoretic and PCR-based Methods for Varietal Verification and GMO Detection" held in Nakhon pathom, Thailand, November 25th – 29th, 2003. 23 participants from different countries of Asia participated in this workshop. In the practical part, DNA extraction, control of DNA quality and some PCR protocols for the detection of GM seeds as well as quantitative GMO tests by real-time PCR were performed and discussed.
The 1st Open Forum Discussion on (Semi-)Quantitative GMO Testing took place at the ISTA Secretariat in Bassersdorf, Switzerland, December 8th –9th, 2003. Participants performing the (semi-)quantitative test in the 2nd proficiency test round attended this meeting to discuss an improvement of quantitative test results in future proficiency tests. An handout of the meeting is available from the ISTA Secretariat.
Future meetings and workshops
- The Rules Chapter Working Group will hold a meeting in March 2004 in Gastonia, North Carolina, United States.
- The ISTA STA-GMO TF organise an ISTA Workshop on Statistical Aspects on GMO Detection in Toulouse, France, April 1st – 2nd, 2004. A second workshop on this topic is planned for autumn 2004 in the Untied States.
- Two "ISTA/FAO Workshop on Electrophoretic and PCR-based Methods for Varietal Verification and GMO Detection" are planned for 2004. The first will be held in Ljubljana, Slovenia in July 2004 and a second one in Egypt in October/November 2004.
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Universal List of Species
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SEED TESTING INTERNATIONAL
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