Tab A - Page 39 
because nothing else is planted there and, in any event, the strain to be used 
has been screened for pathogenicity to all major crops In the area and shown to 
be nonpathogenetlc to those crops. Furthermore, the modified bacteria are 
specifically adapted to the target plants and exist In such small numbers 
compared to naturally occurring bacteria that they could not effectively 
colonize either crops or non-commercial plant species in the area. Previous 
studies have shown that epiphytic bacteria do not survive for more than a month 
in the soil. The bacteria can survive up to a year in plant debris on the 
surface of the soil, but die rapidly when plant debris is incorporated Into the 
soil . 
i 
5.3.3 Crops and Non-Commercial Plant Species 
la 
r 
Some strains or isolates of P. s. syrinqae have been reported to be 
pathogenic on oats, wheat and barley, crops that are grown in the agricultural 
areas surrounding the Tulelake Research Station. The strains to be used in the 
experiment will have been screened for pathogenicity towards oats, wheat, 
barley, corn, tomato and three cultlvars of beans. It is possible that small 
numbers of the INA" bacteria will be carried away from the test plot to 
surrounding crops or non-commercial plant species by wind, birds and Insects. 
The numbers of bacteria Involved would be very small in comparison to the 
wild-type bacteria that already exist In nature (£. syrinqae , for example is 
ubiquitous). It Is highly unlikely that all of the deletion mutants that leave 
the test plot would be deposited in one place. Even if this did occur, there 
would be a negligible chance that there would be sufficient numbers of the 
deletion mutants to significantly affect the ratio between INA + and INA" wild- 
type bacteria. In addition, it is highly unlikely that the modified bacteria 
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