ENVIRONMENTAL AND AGRONOMIC IMPACT OF THEHERBICIDE TOLERANT GM RAPESEED

The introduction of genetically modified herbicide tolerantrapeseed has raised questions concerning the possible transfer of transgenes intowild relatives or neighbouring fields with similar crops. Pollen of rapeseed can bespread in the area and if a non-GM crop is fertilised by GM pollen, somepercentage of the collected seed product will contain GM. Current regulation in theEU limits the allowed content. For conventional crops the critical level of GMcontamination is in practice below 0.9%, which is the threshold value for labellingof GM in food and feed by the EU, although the limit for seeds is 0.1% in Serbia.In organic farming, the regulations do not allow the use of genetic engineering inthe grain production system.