Monitoring of genetically modified food on the Czech food market and a cross-country comparison

The presence of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) was analysed in food samples from the Czech food markets. Four different types of food samples (soya beans, soya bean products, maize flour, and rice) were collected at twelve places in four terms in the years 2008–2013. It represents a total 1152 food samples. Soya and maize were chosen, because these are the major transgenic crops grown worldwide. Increased cultivation of GM rice in China, India, Indonesia, and the Philippines has been observed. Polymerase chain reaction-based methods were applied to detect GMOs. GMOs were detected in 107 samples (9.3%). The results show that in food from the Czech food market GMOs mainly in maize flour and rice were found. GM maize was detected in 63 (21.9%) maize flour samples. Maize lines MON810, NK603, and Bt176 were detected in 14 (22%), 9 (14%), and 1 (1.6%) maize flour samples, respectively. Unauthorised GM rice was detected in 39 (13.5%) rice samples. Unauthorised rice Bt63 was detected in one sample of rice. Roundup Ready soya was detected in 4 (1.4%) soya bean samples and in 1 (0.35%) soya product sample. These results were compared with results of the world´s studies

An occurrence of genetically modified foodstuffs on the Czech food market

Genetically modified (GM) plants are obtained by adding to them one or more foreign genes that encode new properties, such as tolerance to herbicides, resistance to insects and the ability to produce new substances. The aim of this study was the detection and identification of GM foodstuffs. Six different types of samples (soybeans, soya products, tomatoes, maize flour, rice and papaya) were collected at 12 places in the Czech Republic during the years 2002–2007. It represents a total of 1225 samples of foodstuffs.Samples were investigated for the presence of material derived from the following genetically modified organisms (GMOs) which are approved for food use in the European Union (EU): Roundup Ready soybean (RRS) and maize lines Bt176, Bt11, T25, GA21, MON810, DAS1507 and some non-approved in the EU: maize lines Bt10 and starlink, rice, tomatoes and papaya. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based methods and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were used for the detection of GM foods.RRS was detected in 14 (4.9%) samples of soybean out of 288 and in 88 (30.5%) soya products out of 288 samples. The amount of RRS in positive samples was determined by quantitative PCR. The content was in the range of 0.01–75.3% RRS. GM maize was detected in 5 (1.7%) of 288 samples. Maize lines MON810, Bt176 and StarLink were detected in the maize samples. GM rice was detected in 2 (1.9%) samples out of 102. All investigated tomatoes and papaya samples were negative for detection of GM

<i>Solanum nigrum</i> L. is a potato spindle tuber viroid reservoir

Background. Among the weeds of the Solanaceae family, a potential viroid infection reservoir, black nightshade (Solanum nigrum L.), is ubiquitous in Russia.Materials and methods. Molecular diagnostics of the viroid was performed using RT-PCR with the P3/P4 primers specific for PSTVd and 6Pospi F/R specific for the Pospiviroidae family of viroids. The amplification products were cloned and sequenced, and the nucleotide sequences were deposited in the GenBank database.Results. RT-PCR showed that 80–100% of plants were infected with PSTVd. The cDNA amplicons of two plants from Nizhny Novgorod (Sn1 and Sn2) and one plant from Tula Province (Sn3) were cloned (3 clones each) and sequenced. An analysis of the nucleotide variability in the clones revealed significant genetic differences between the PSTVd strains, independent of the geographical origin. Mutations U120C and U192C, compared with the reference strain VP35 (LC523658), were found in all 9 clones. The Sn1 isolate was close to the “potato” VP35 isolate and differed from it only by three mutations. The Sn2 isolate was represented by three identical clones and differed from VP35 by nine mutations, while Sn3 had 22 mutations in the region of 49–310 nucleotide positions in total for three clones. After artificial infection of healthy S. nigrum plants in a greenhouse, the presence of PSTVd in infected plants was confirmed and it was proved that the viroid was transmitted by seeds to plants of the next generation.Conclusion. For the first time in externally healthy plants of S. nigrum, widely distributed in the potato fields of Russia (Nizhny Novgorod and Tula Province), the potato spindle tuber viroid, PSTVd, was detected. It was proved that the viroid was preserved in the seeds of S. nigrum and transmitted to their progeny. Genetic heterogeneity of PSTVd strains from S. nigrum plants was found. Two mutations, U120C and U192C, were common for all tested clones of PSTVd strains

Evaluation of Responses of Potato Cultivars to Potato Spindle Tuber Viroid and to Mixed Viroid/Viral Infection

Potato spindle tuber viroid (PSTVd) is a harmful quarantine disease with wide geographic distribution. To date, experimentally proved resistance or tolerance of potato cultivars to PSTVd has not been reported. The aim of this study was to evaluate responses to four PSTVd strains of 39 modern potato cultivars of different origin. Four PSTVd strains of different origin, the intermediate VP35, VP87, and two sever strains FP10-13 and NicTr-3, deposited in GenBank, were used. Transcripts of these strains were used to inoculate tomato plants of the cv. Rutgers. Before PSTVd inoculation with tomato sap, all plants were tested for viral infection by ELISA. The presence of PSTVd in infected plants was verified by RT-PCR as well as by RT-qPCR at sixty days post-inoculation (dpi). The strain-specificity in the response of cultivars to viroid infection was revealed. Five cultivars were identified in which, after the first inoculation of plants with all PSTVd strains, normal in shape tubers were formed. All plants of the next generation derived from infected but normally shaped tubers showed strong symptoms of disease. PSTVd and mixed viroid/viral infection (PVY + PSTVd, PVM + PSTVd, and PVY + PVS + PSTVd) led to a significant decrease in the number and weight of tubers in most of the cultivars studied

The removal of a culture-historical dam for improved resilience of urban nature

Tikkurila dam is in the River Keravanjoki in the centre of Vantaa and it has lost its original function of providing water power for linseed oil production. The dam is an important part of the historical factory surroundings of Vernissa, but it is in poor condition and in need of refurbishing. The dam is an obstruction for migratory fish species that try to climb upstream to spawn and the waterfront is heavily focused by recreational pressure. All these factors combined have set the dam removal decision-making process in motion. The project has been carried out by Ramboll Finland Oy for the city of Vantaa since 2014 and the plan implementation and dam removal is expected to take place in 2019. This thesis introduces the project process and the case area of Tikkurila dam. It also aspires to evaluate the physical, biological and cultural changes in the case area resulting from the dam removal and river restoration and to form a monitoring programme to survey the main outcomes. One objective is to review how the benefits and losses in ecological quality compare with those in cultural quality. A literature review has been conducted on free-flowing rivers, the effects of dams on river integrity and ecosystem, dam removal and river restoration processes and possible dam removal outcomes. The evaluation of changes has been performed by using the ecosystem services approach as a framework. The study indicates that the ecological benefits obtained by performing the dam removal and river restoration are greater than the losses in some cultural services (i.e. culture-historical surroundings). The dam removal will affect many services in the area, but most importantly will restore the integrity of the natural river ecosystem. The effects should be monitored through key indicators of the most essential services. The study was cohesive with the literature review and it suggests that dam removal projects should be carried out as a multi-disciplinary and co-operative process.Tikkurilan pato sijaitsee Keravanjoessa, Vantaan Tikkurilassa. Se on menettänyt alkuperäisen tarkoituksensa tuottaa vesivoimaa vernissaöljyn tuotantoon, mutta on edelleen tärkeä osa Vernissan teollisuushistoriaa. Pato vuotaa ja on laajan kunnostuksen tarpeessa. Pato ja huonosti toimiva kalaporras muodostavat kulkuesteen vaeltaville meritaimenille, jotka yrittävät päästä ylävirtaan kutemaan ja jokirantaan kohdistuu suuria virkistyksellisiä paineita. Nämä tekijät yhdessä vaikuttivat päätökseen aloittaa selvitys padon poiston mahdollisuuksista. Projektin on tehnyt Ramboll Finland Oy Vantaan kaupungille. Esiselvitys käynnistettiin vuonna 2014 ja suunnitelman toteutus ja padon poisto tulee todennäköisesti tapahtumaan kesällä 2019. Tämä opinnäytetyö kuvailee projektin eri vaiheet ja Tikkurilan padon alueen ominaisuudet. Opinnäytetyössä pyritään arvioimaan padon poiston ja jokikunnostuksen aiheuttamat fyysiset ja kulttuuriset muutokset alueella ja muodostamaan seurantaohjelma, joka keskittyy tärkeimmiksi havaittuihin muutoksiin. Yksi tavoite on myös arvioida muutoksesta aiheutuvien ekologisten ja kulttuuristen ominaisuuksien hyötyjä ja haittoja keskenään. Kirjallisuustutkimus on tehty vapaista virtavesistä, patojen vaikutuksista jokien eheyteen ja ekosysteemiin, patojen poiston ja jokikunnostuksen prosesseista ja mahdollisista patojen poiston lopputuloksista. Muutosten arviointiin on käytetty ekosysteemipalvelu-näkökulmaa, koska se mahdollistaa kulttuuristen ja ekologisten vaikutusten vertailun rinnakkain. Tutkimuksen mukaan padon poiston ja jokikunnostuksen ekologiset hyödyt ovat suuremmat, kuin padon poiston kulttuuriset haitat. Padon poistolla on vaikutuksia moniin ekosysteemipalveluihin alueella, mutta tärkeimpänä on joen eheyden ja luonnollisen ekosysteemin palautuminen. Vaikutuksien seurantaa tulisi tehdä pääasiassa avainindikaattorien kautta, jotka muodostuvat projektin tavoitteista. Tutkimuksen tulokset ovat yhteneväiset kirjallisuustutkimuksen kanssa ja sen mukaan padon poisto-projektit tulisi toteuttaa monialaisina ja yhteistyöpainotteisina prosesseina