• Home
• About GeneWatch
• GM Crops and Food
  • GM crops: overview
  • GM crops: current situation
  • GM crops: under development
    • Drought- and salt-tolerant GM crops
    • Nutrient-altered GM crops
    • Nitrogen-fixing GM crops
    • Pharma crops
    • GM trees
    • GM fruit
    • GM grasses
    • GM potatoes
    • GM wheat
  • GM crops: regulation
  • GM crops: timeline
  • New Plant Breeding Techniques
• GM animals
• New Genetic Engineering Techniques
• Human Genetics
• Laboratory and Industrial Use
• Research Agendas and Patenting
• Trade issues
• Biological Weapons
• Publications
• Press Releases

You are in GM Crops and Food → GM crops: under development → GM trees

GM trees

Most genetically modified (GM) trees are not grown commercially, but experimental trials have taken place in the US, Canada, Europe and Brazil.

Experimental GM trees have been engineered to make them more suitable for production of paper or biofuels, by reducing the amount of lignin they contain. GM trees intended to be herbicide-tolerant or resistant to viruses, bacteria, fungus and pests have also been planted in field trials.

Poplar, pine and Eucalyptus are the tree species that have been used for most GM tree experiments. Fruit trees and walnut and chestnut trees have also been used.

GM papaya is grown commercially in Hawaii and China.

Resources

• GeneWatch UK reports
  • GeneWatch UK: GM Trees: Can We, Should We? 28th February 2023
• Consultation Responses
  • GeneWatch UK reponse to the USDA APHIS consultation on GM chestnut (Environmental Impact Statement and Plant Pest Risk Assessment) 14th December 2022
  • GeneWatch UK submission to USDA APHIS re Nonregulated Status for GM American Chestnut (23rd September 2020) 23rd September 2020
• Press articles
  • DowntoEarth: A wild thought: Are genetically-engineered trees really 'the future' (27th January 2023)

  • In These Times: The GMO American Chestnut - Restoration of a Beloved Species or Biotech Trojan Horse? (16th July 2019)

  • Independent Science News: The GE American Chestnut Restoration of a Beloved Species or Trojan Horse for Tree Biotechnology? (11th June 2019)

  • The Conversation: Can genetic engineering save disappearing forests? (18th January 2019)

  • Nature: Transgenic trees face rocky path from farm to forest (8th January 2019)

  • The Crozet Gazette: Blue Ridge Naturalist: Consequences (7th September 2018)

  • The Hill: The forests are in crisis but biotechnology is not the solution (28th March 2018)

  • The Washington Post: Environmentalists are urging the USDA to reject this genetically engineered eucalyptus tree (8th August 2017)

  • Genetically Engineered Trees: A New Frontier or Climate Catastrophe? (16th May 2016)

  • Fresh Plaza: Romania to trial disease resistant GM plum trees (8th February 2016)

  • The Observer: With 90 percent of the UK's ash trees about to be wiped out, could GM be the answer? (31st October 2015)

  • RBA: CTNBio adia liberacao do eucalipto, mas aprova novos milhos transgenicos [In Portguese] (6th March 2015)

    Brazilian regulators delay a decision on GM trees but approve Dow's 2,4-D resistant maize, and Monsanto's maize resistant to glufosinate and glyphosate.

  • TruthOut: Engineering Chestnut Trees? Biotechnology Takes a Walk in the Woods (25th December 2014)

  • Syracuse.com: SUNY ESF plan to release genetically engineered chestnut tree is too hasty (14th November 2014)

  • C Magazine: Indigenous Peoples Unite to Stop Genetically Engineered Trees (13th October 2014)

  • Nature: Brazil considers transgenic trees (27th August 2014)

  • Common Ground: GE poplars condemned (May 2014)

  • Business Vancouver: UBC's genetically engineered trees ready to change forestry industry (23rd April 2014)

  • ABC: GM trees 'designed for deconstruction' (4th April 2014)

  • IATP: Genetically modified American chestnuts - the next golden rice? (28th August 2013)

  • Le Monde: Il n'y a plus d'experimentation d'OGM en plein champ en France (17th July 2013)

    Reports that the latest trial of a GM crop in France (GM poplars) has been stopped.

  • IPS: U.S. Urged to Reject Genetically Engineered Trees (30th May 2013)

  • The Economist: Genetically modified trees: Into the wildwood (4th May 2013)

  • OilPrice.com: Turning Fruit Trees into Biofuel (26th March 2013)

  • The Guardian: The GM tree plantations bred to satisfy the world's energy needs (15th November 2012)

  • Financial Times: Barking up the right GM tree? (20th July 2012)

• External links
  • Independent Science News: The American Chestnut Foundation Bails as GE Chestnut Develops Growth and Fertility Problems and Fails to Resist the Blight (15th December 2023)

  • The American Chestnut Foundation: TACF Discontinues Development of Darling 58 (8th December 2023)

  • Stop GE Trees: BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR FOREST HEALTH? THE TEST CASE OF THE GENETICALLY ENGINEERED AMERICAN CHESTNUT (April 2019)

  • Global Justice Ecology Project: NAS Report Casts Doubt on Government Ability to Regulate Genetically Engineered Trees (30th January 2019)

  • Field Liberation: GM Poplars - another false solution to combat climate change (20th March 2017)

  • Eucalipto transgenico [In Portuguese]

  • Greenpeace: Brazil evaluates release of transgenic eucalyptus [In Portuguese] (4th September 2014)

  • AS-PTA: GM Eucalyptus to be discussed in Brazil, but critical information is missing (29th August 2014)

  • The Campaign to Stop GE Trees

  • World Rainforest Movement: Will Brazil turn the country into a factory of genetically modified trees? (6th June 2014)

  • Global Justice Ecology Project: Protesters disrupt genetically engineered trees corporate event (14th May 2014)

  • Center for Food Safety: Genetically Engineered Trees: The New Frontier of Biotechnology (November 2013)

  • TestBiotech: Transgene escape - Global atlas of uncontrolled spread of genetically engineered plants (November 2013)

  • Center for Food Safety: Genetically Engineered Trees: The New Frontier of Biotechnology (9th October 2013)

  • GM Tree Watch

    Database of GM tree trials maintained by Econexus

↑ Top

Resources

• GeneWatch UK reports
• Consultation Responses
• Press articles
• External links