Subchronic Feeding Study Of Transgenic BADH Alfalfa On Rabbits

With the increasing use of genetically modified organisms worldwide the safetycontroversy of GMOs would be unlikely to abate. As salt stress is a major stress limiting cropproductivity and most alfalfa are salt-sensitive, in planta expression of the gene encoding forbetaine aldehyde dehydrogenase (BADH) confers tolerance to salinity and drought stresses.Betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase (BADH) gene was introduced into alfalfa (Medicago sativaL. cv. Zhongmu No.1) plants by Agrobacterium tumefaciens mediated transformation. Thesafety of GM alfalfa was assessed by comparison of toxicology response variables in rabbitsconsuming diets containing transgenic alfalfa with those containing conventional non-GMalfalfas. The feeding period was long enough to22weeks. Clinical pathology parameters(hematology and blood chemistry) of the two groups were compared at both the11th weekand the22th week. All the animals were sacrificed at the end of the experiment and theparameters of the organ index, gross and microscopic appearance of tissues were comparablebetween the two groups. No adverse effects were observed in rabbits consuming GM alfalfaand non-GM alfalfa. The results indicated that the feeding value of GM alfalfa andconventional non-GM alfalfa were equal in this study, and no detrimental unexpected effectswere observed in rabbits fed alfalfa genetically modified with BADH gene, confirming it is assafe and nutritious as existing alfalfa.