Reduced Regulation Proposed for Certain PIPs

Plant Incorporated Protectants (PIPs) include those that protect against plant viral diseases.  This group is referred to as PVCP-PIPs for plant virus coat protein-derived plant incorporated protectants.  The process works by inserting small pieces of genetic material in the genome of a plant that codes for the viral coat protein, and when this material is expressed by the plant, it confers resistance to the virus. 

Federal regulators are now considering reducing regulatory barriers for PVCP-PIPs.  This would allow seed companies to bring resistant plant varieties to market sooner at much lower cost than if they had to go through the full pesticide regulatory process.  Under the proposal, only a petition for exemption and adverse effects reporting [6(a)2] would be required for these plants.  The PVCP-PIPs would also be exempt from requirement of a tolerance in foods. 

The two types of PVCP-PIPs that are proposed to be exempted include those as described above (plant produces a viral coat protein) and also those that act by post-transcriptional gene silencing.  These would both be exempted as long as they are derived from viruses that naturally infect plants. 

The EPA is primarily concerned about three aspects of these organisms.  The first is a PVCP-PIP might improve the competitive ability of the transgenic plant or its wild relatives that receive its genetic material so that a plant carrying the material becomes a weed that invades agricultural or natural ecosystems.  Secondly, the viral disease might spread to new hosts, develop novel properties, or become more virulent through interaction with PVCP-PIPs.  Finally, humans and wildlife might be exposed to novel allergenic or toxic proteins.  The EPA and the experts it consulted contended that the second and third concerns are slight and occur naturally all the time.

Some of the first plant candidates that meet the EPA’s criteria include barley, bean, corn, chickpea, cowpea, lentil, pea, peanut, potato, soybean, sugarcane, asparagus, avocado, banana, cacao, coffee, cucumber, mango, citrus, papaya, pineapple, starfruit, anthurium, carnation, gerbera, gladiolus, orchid, and tulip.  The Agency is accepting input on others.  (Pesticide & Toxic Chemical News, 4/23/07).