20 
Dr. Fedoroff said in these experiments, the assumption is that the CNA 
will spread. 
Dr. McKinney suggested the language proposed by Dr. Fedoroff be clarified. 
He aided that proposed Section III-B-4-c-( 4 ) mentions provisions for 
"physical isolation" of plants. He said physical isolation cannot be 
obtained under the described conditions and suggested that term not be 
employed. 
Dr. McKinney questioned why "species" are mentioned in Section III-B-4-c- ( 4 ) 
while the term "genus" is used in Section III-B-4-c-( 1 ) . Dr. Tolin said 
"species" is used in Section III-B-4-c- ( 4 ) to indicate physical isolation 
from other commercial plants of the same species. "Genus" is used in 
Section III-B-4-c-(l) because intraspecies hybridization occurs in some 
genera . 
Dr. McKinney said Dr. Vidaver had proposed that the word "annual" be deleted 
from Section III-B-4-c-(l), while Section III-B-4-c-(4 ) includes a provision 
for preventing plants containing recombinant CNA frcm "becoming established" 
in the environment. He found this incongruous as he intuited dissemination 
increases with time. He questioned the definition of "established in the 
environment;" after what period of time is a plant "established" in the 
environment? 
Dr. McKinney questioned whether risk assessment on the possible development 
of noxious weeds could be performed. He noted that attempts would be made 
to engineer plants that will grow faster, better, in poorer soil, or with 
less fertilizer. These are characteristics of "weeds." 
Dr. Landy said Dr. Fedoroff' s proposed amendment would provide information 
but questioned its usefulness for risk assessment. Dr. Holmes said spread 
is inevitable and questioned the usefulness of monitoring. 
Dr. Brill said quantitative risk assessment experiments can not be performed 
at this stage since no one has a good idea of any kind of real risk. He 
said most successful plant breeding is performed through observation rather 
than quantitation. He suggested the observational powers and experience 
of breeders might be used in risk assessment. He recommended the IBC 
perform risk assessment by having one or more individuals familiar with 
the crop observe the crop, the neighboring crop, the field, and the sur- 
rounding fields during the growing season. 
Dr. Fedoroff said she still favored addition of a sentence to be added at 
the end of Section III-B-4-c- (4 ) although she changed the first words frcm 
"Procedures for assessing "the spread..." to "Procedures for assessing 
alterations in and the spread...." 
Dr. Gottesman said she was uncomfortable with the prospect of full respon- 
sibility being delegated to the IBC. She moved that review of these experi- 
ments be performed by the RAC Plant Working Group and that the proposed 
language be incorporated into the Guidelines as an appendix. 
rih5] 
