3 
Dr. Martin asked if any problems had arisen from the current breeding procedures 
for crop plants. Dr. Tblin said that the U.S. com crop had suffered heavy 
losses one year frcm blight caused by the fungus Helm inthospori urn maid is , race 
T. Because of its convenience the Tbxas male sterile trait was bred into most 
com planted in the U.S. , however, the trait renders the com plant sensitive 
to a toxin produced by H. maidis . In that case, plant pathologists had warned 
against the exclusive use of the Texas male sterile trait. Dr. Tblin pointed 
out that plants and their pathogens coevolve, and it is difficult to predict 
what is going to happen. 
Dr. Nightingale asked if the USDA had any guidelines on release of organisms 
into the environment. Dr. Tblin replied that same guidelines exist through 
the Plant Protection Quarantine Programs of APHIS, such as guidelines for the 
release of imported predators and pathogens for insect control. Recently, 
guidelines for introducing foreign organisms to control weeds have been 
formulated (Attachment I). 
Dr. Scandalios mentioned the case of afla toxin. Afla toxin is a potent carcinogen 
produced by the fungus, Aspergillus flavus. The fungus infects the plants in 
the field and then when the grain is stored, grows. The plant breeders attack 
this problem in the traditional manner, i.e., breeding plants for resistance. 
However, a more fruitful method might be to study the interaction between the 
host and the fungus. He said "yellow rain" is another example of a fungal 
toxin which contaminates food crops. 
Dr. Martin asked if RAC should became involved in this area: is the work new 
and unique; does systematic monitoring already exist; is there an agricultural 
working group? Dr. Scandalios replied that much new and unique work is be caning 
possible and suggested that seme guidelines are necessary as none currently 
exist. He said genera now may be crossed using these technologies; this was 
not possible before the development of reccmbinant DNA techniques and protoplast 
fusion technology. Dr. Tblin pointed out that testing bioengineered plants 
will probably involve fewer individual plants than traditional breeding methods. 
She suggested it may be possible to draw containment guidelines on this basis; 
USDA did so for the field testing of bioengineered com. Dr. Scandalios agreed; 
he said the distance of the test plants from other plants, the number of plants, 
etc, might be considered. Dr. Scandalios suggested that dissemination into 
the environment might be defined; he personally did not see field testing of 
10 plants as release into the environment. Dr. Nightingale suggested that the 
Plant Working Group might be activated. 
Dr. Nightingale asked Drs. Tblin and Scandalios if they might construct seme 
general language to be presented to RAC. She suggested this language be 
published in the Federal Register and that experts in the field might be 
notified and asked to comment. Dr. Gartland noted that the language must be 
ready for publication at the end of February. He said the language of Section 
III-A-2 of the Guidelines would have to be modified. 
Dr. Tblin said expression of a foreign gene by plants has just been reported, 
the Ti plasmid of Agrobacterium has been used to introduce the gene coding 
for kanamycin resistance into petunia plants. She suggested the working group 
(701 
