Virus-resistant transgenic tobacco (first commercial crop, China)
Tabaco transgénico resistente a virus (primer cultivo comercial, China)
- Date
- 1992-1993 · confidence low
- Place
- Beijing, China
- Credited to
- Chinese agricultural research institute (per sources, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences / Huazhong Agricultural University)
- Field
- Life & health
⚠️ Disputed: the sources disagree.
What it is
China approved for commercial cultivation in the early 1990s transgenic tobacco resistant to cucumber and tobacco mosaic viruses. It is regarded as the first transgenic plant for commercial use, earlier than the Flavr Savr tomato (1994).
Priority is disputed and poorly documented in accessible primary sources: the commercialisation date, real extent and institutions rest on secondary reports (James, ISAAA); some authors hold that cultivation was limited. Calgene (Flavr Savr, 1994) is usually cited as the first commercial transgenic food.
What it led to
- Chinese transgenic crop programme (Bt cotton, tomato, pepper)
- debate on priority in commercialising transgenic crops
- withdrawal of the transgenic tobacco in 1997 for fear of export bans