LEEDS University has been given the go-ahead to grow genetically modified potatoes in an open field.
The potatoes have had their genes tweaked by Professor Howard Atkinson to give them resistance to a parasite. Now seedlings are on standby in glasshouses on the university's experimental farm in Tadcaster and 400 will be moved outdoors later this mon
th.
The move was announced yesterday by the Department of Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs (Defra), headed by Leeds MP Hilary Benn.
Some other EU countries already grow GM crops commercially – particularly rape, beet and maize – but development of the GM business in this country has been held back by fear of vandalism by opponents.
The Leeds trial centres on potatoes resistant to the parasite commonly known as "eel worm".
Prof Atkinson said: "This is a university. We don't think it is appropriate to take extreme security measures but also we do not think it is appropriate for people to stop academic research. We have promised to behave responsibly and we hope we will be left to do it."
The potatoes will be used for laboratory purposes only and the soil they are grown in will be sterilised after the harvest.
The NFU has no objections. Its Driffield-based vice president, Paul Temple, has taken part in field trials of GM crops and he says most members are relaxed about them. He said: "We are importing thousands of tons of GM material every day, from other countries in Europe, and we want to see the trials take place and see what happens."
But Pete Riley, of campaign group GM Freeze, said: "This approval is unwise and unnecessary. We are very concerned that Defra persists in approving applications which contain antibiotic-resistant marker genes involving antibiotics which are still in clinical use. These genes are not needed and should be removed. All in all, it's a bad decision by Defra."
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