Risk Assessment and Safety Management of the Genetic Engineered Trees

Genetic engineering,a powerful tool to introduce economic traits into organisms,has wide application for the improvement of trees. Genetically improved trees will soon be commercialized after completing their field trials. The potential negative effects of the release of the transgenic trees to the environments must be evaluated on the scientific basis. The current regulations of genetically modified plants both in China and abroad were formulated on the scientific knowledge of the gene transferred and the plant as a receptor. It should be addressed that the criteria of the safety concern on the transgenic trees must be based on their biology in a manner of case by case,with the focus on the restriction of the gene contamination to the nature forestry. The general rules of the risk assessment and safety management of the genetic engineered trees in China are suggested in this review.