National research projects

Spanish research on co-existence and traceability

Since GM maize has been growing in Spain for many years, several projects investigating aspects of co-existence have been conducted in the country. All of them focused on maize.

Field trial for the evaluation of maize gene flow

The effect of the field size on the gene flow to neighbouring fields is evaluated by the Institute for Food and Agricultural Research and Technology (IRTA).

Sustainable introduction of GMO in European agriculture

In another project to establish practical tools, and to evaluate the economic and ecological impacts of GM crops on the European agricultural systems, the IRTA is developing the scientific framework as well as strategies, methods and equipment. Special attention is given to the diverse agricultural cultivation systems.

Spain is investigating co-existence of maize in actual practice.Co-existence of maize

To study the co-existence of GM maize varieties with conventional cultivations, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fishery and Food initiated field trials in 2003. The trials were carried out in Aranjuez and Albacete.

Separation of GM and non-GM grains

To guarantee both GM and conventional cultures, cooperatives working with both products have developed distinct grain management systems.

Out-crossing of GM maize

A series of field tests and co-existence studies with varieties of genetically modified maize between 2003 and 2005 was conducted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, in cooperation with several public and private institutions. The project was aimed to identify the amounts of adventitious presence of GMOs in neighbouring, non-GM maize fields caused solely by cross-pollination (i.e. without seed impurities or admixing due to GMO residues during processing, storage, and transport).