Hybridization between Brassica napus and B. rapa on a national scale in the United Kingdom.
Measures blocking hybridization would prevent or reduce biotic or environmental change caused by gene flow from genetically modified (GM) crops to wild relatives. The efficacy of any such measure depends on hybrid numbers within the legislative region over the life-span of the GM cultivar. We present a national assessment of hybridization between rapeseed (Brassica napus) and B. rapa from a combination of sources, including population surveys, remote sensing, pollen dispersal profiles, herbarium data, local Floras, and other floristic databases. Across the United Kingdom, we estimate that 32,000 hybrids form annually in waterside B. rapa populations, whereas the less abundant weedy populations contain 17,000 hybrids. These findings set targets for strategies to eliminate hybridization and represent the first step toward quantitative risk assessment on a national scale.
Wilkinson
Mike J
MJ
School of Plant Sciences, The University of Reading, RG6 6AS, UK. m.j.wilkinson@rdg.ac.uk
Elliott
Luisa J
LJ
Allainguillaume
Joël
J
Shaw
Michael W
MW
Norris
Carol
C
Welters
Ruth
R
Alexander
Matthew
M
Sweet
Jeremy
J
Mason
David C
DC
D029688:Brassica napus / Q000235:genetics*; D029741:Brassica rapa / Q000235:genetics*; D018556:Crops, Agricultural / Q000235:genetics*; D016208:Databases, Factual; D017753:Ecosystem; D017343:Genes, Plant; D005828:Genetics, Population; D006824:Hybridization, Genetic; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D011058:Pollen; D006113:United Kingdom