In a press release of 13 July 2005, FAO reports that research and applications of biotechnology in forestry are advancing rapidly and it calls for systematic assessment of genetically modified trees. The press release follows publication of a new global study of biotechnology in forestry conducted by FAO. Of the over 2,700 major biotechnology activities reported in the world over the last 10 years, the study indicates that 34% were related to micropropagation, 26% to use of molecular markers for diversity studies, 21% to mapping, marker assisted selection and genomics and, finally, 19% to genetic modification. See the press release (http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2005/1000236/index.html - in Arabic, English, French and Spanish), the global study (http://www.fao.org/docrep/008/ae574e/ae574e00.htm) or contact [email protected] for more information.

15/07/2005