Does insect netting affect the containment of airborne pollen from (GM-) plants in greenhouses?

van Hengstum, Thomas; Hooftman, Danny A.P.; den Nijs, Hans C.M.; van Tienderen, Peter H.. 2012 Does insect netting affect the containment of airborne pollen from (GM-) plants in greenhouses? Aerobiologia, 28 (3). 325-335. 10.1007/s10453-011-9237-8

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Abstract/Summary

Greenhouses are a well-accepted containment strategy to grow and study genetically modified plants (GM) before release into the environment. Various containment levels are requested by national regulations to minimize GM pollen escape. We tested the amount of pollen escaping from a standard greenhouse, which can be used for EU containment classes 1 and 2. More specifically, we investigated the hypothesis whether pollen escape could be minimized by insect-proof netting in front of the roof windows, since the turbulent airflow around the mesh wiring could avoid pollen from escaping. We studied the pollen flow out of greenhouses with and without insect netting of two non-transgenic crops, Ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) and Corn (Zea Mays). Pollen flow was assessed with Rotorod® pollen samplers positioned inside and outside the greenhouse’ roof windows. A significant proportion of airborne pollen inside the greenhouse leaves through roof windows. Moreover, the lighter pollen of Lolium escaped more readily than the heavier pollen of Maize. In contrast to our expectations, we did not identify any reduction in pollen flow with insect netting in front of open windows, even under induced airflow conditions. We conclude that insect netting, often present by default in greenhouses, is not effective in preventing pollen escape from greenhouses of wind-pollinated plants for containment classes 1 or 2. Further research would be needed to investigate whether other alternative strategies, including biotic ones, are more effective.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	10.1007/s10453-011-9237-8
Programmes:	CEH Topics & Objectives 2009 - 2012 > Biodiversity > BD Topic 1 - Observations, Patterns, and Predictions for Biodiversity
UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:	Hails
ISSN:	0393-5965
Additional Information. Not used in RCUK Gateway to Research.:	Open Access paper - click on Official URL link for full text
Additional Keywords:	genetically modified plants, greenhouse, hybridization, pollen escape, regulation, turbulence
NORA Subject Terms:	Biology and Microbiology Ecology and Environment
Date made live:	20 Dec 2011 11:32 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/15809

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