Abstract
To the global environmental issues, application of transgenic plants, such as enhanced abiotic-stress tolerant plants, would be a technological solution. We are developing the transgenic Eucalyptus globulus plants containing the choline oxidase (codA) gene derived from a salt-tolerant bacterium, Arthrobacter globiformis, and have confirmed their salt-tolerant trait in the contained and semi-contained experimental conditions. Since March 2008, we started the non-contained trial cultivation in the isolated field, and performed long term follow up of growth and environmental biosafety assessment of risk to precinct vegetation and the microbial community. For precinct vegetation, two kinds of allelopathic bioassay, e.g. sandwich method and Sukikomi method, are performed. For the microbial community, total number, varieties and activity of microbe were assayed by the plate cultivation method and the soil enzymatic activity measurement. These assays are performed every three months and will perform for five years. Then, we will show data from past two years and discuss impacts of cultivation of the transgenic Eucalyptus plants to the effect on the diversity of the ecosystem.
