Development of the transgenic sugarcane event TUC 87-3RG resistant to glyphosate

NOGUERA A. S.; ENRIQUE, R. A.; OSTENGO, S.; PERERA M. F.; RACEDO J.,; COSTILLA, D; ZOSSI, S.; CUENYA, M. I.; FILIPPONE M.P.; WELIN G.V.B.; CASTAGNARO, A. P.

Congreso; XXX International Society of Sugarcane Technologists Congress; 2019

Sugarcane (Saccharum hybrid) commercial variety RA87-3 was transformed through particle bombardment with a genetic construct harbouring the epsps gene from Agrobacterium strain CP4 conferring tolerance to the broad-spectrum herbicide glyphosate. Out of 43 PCR-positive transformed lines, 17 showed high glyphosate-tolerance when tested under greenhouse conditions. All lines maintained glyphosate tolerance when they were planted in a small?scale field trial but only six showed phenotypic resemblance to parental variety. TRAP markers analysis revealed that five out of these six lines showed 100% similarity and the remaining one only differed in two markers. All six genotypically and phenotypically closely related events showed comparable agronomical and industrial traits as compared to parental line 87-3 when they were field evaluated at two independent production areas in Argentina. Moreover, molecular studies confirmed that two lines were almost identical and were subsequently selected for commercialization. The process of deregulation started in 2011 and was conducted almost entirely by an interdisciplinary research team of the Estación Experimental Agroindustrial Obispo Colombres (EEAOC) responding the entire request by the National Advisory Commission on Agricultural Biotechnology (Comisión Nacional Asesora de Biotecnología Agropecuaria, CONABIA) and tending to ensure that the transgenic sugarcane event is substantially equivalent to parental variety and that is safe for both enviromental and human health. This work prompted a complete revision and re-evaluation of deregulation proceedings in CONABIA in order to be able to accurately evaluate and release a transgenic sugarcane variety. In October 2015, the official approval of commercial release of the first transgenic sugarcane variety, RA87-3RG resistant to glyphosate, was issued by the relevant regulatory bodies in Argentina. However, mainly due to market issues, this release was put on hold by the industrial sugar sector of our country and was not resumed until the moment.