TYPE OF UNINTENDED EFFECT: Morphological (Plants)
Alfalfa
Plant height and flowering were altered in alfalfa genetically engineered to reduce lignin content.
Apple
Apples over-expressing a fruit-ripening enzyme lacked flowers and had malformed stomata and altered composition of cell walls.
Arabidopsis
Plants producing a biodegradable polyester were smaller, never produced seeds and showed severe changes in metabolism.
Suppression of DHS enzyme in Arabidopsis (a mustard plant) was associated with enlarged leaves, greater root mass, and enhanced seed yield.
Barley
Barley expressing a heat-stable enzyme showed highly variable expression of the enzyme, an anomalous distribution of expression in the grain, and dramatically reduced weight of individual grains.
Transgenic barley plants over-expressing a zinc transport protein had smaller seeds and did not accumulate more zinc when grown in zinc-deficient soil.
Canola
Canola plants over-expressing a bacterial phytoene synthase gene also had a reduced level of chlorophyll, changed structure of plastids, changed composition of fatty acids, and delayed germination.
Cotton
Glyphosate-resistant cotton showed abnormal reproductive development when sprayed with glyphosate.
Fruiting morphology was altered when glyphosate-resistant cotton was sprayed with glyphosate.
Adoption of GM Cotton Slowing in West Africa Due to Concerns About Inferior Qualities of Crop
Dandelion
Dandelions manipulated to have compound leaves showed irregular leaf form and did not flower.
Potato
Insect-resistant transgenic potatoes had less foliage and altered levels of leaf-glycoalkaloids.
Rice
Bt rice showed signs of dwarfism and other abnormalities.
New GMO Rice Lines in India Are High in Vitamin A Precursor, But Unfit for Cultivation Due to Low Yield and Lack of Plant Vigor
Soy
Herbicide-resistant soybean plants were shorter, with less chlorophyll, lower weight, and increased susceptibility to stem-splitting at high temperatures.
Sugarcane
Lectin transgene for stemborer resistance alters growth of sugarcane.
Tobacco
Discoloration and DNA rearrangements were observed in transgenic tobacco plants expressing HIV proteins.
Tomato
Tomato plants overexpressing phytoene synthase gene were stunted in growth.
Suppression of DHS gene in tomatoes was associated with lack of fruiting, altered leaf morphology, higher rate of photosynthesis and other changes.
Transgenic tomatoes altered with a marker gene construct showed significant changes in morphological and physiological characteristics.
Wheat
Spring wheat with scab-resistance transgene was not scab resistant and showed localized death of leaf tissue.
Wheat expressing transgenic glutenin shows reduction in yield, varying production of glutenin, and altered morphology.
