Japan imports cottonseed mainly from Australia and the USA where more than 96% of all cotton varieties grown are genetically modified (GM). GM crops undergo an environmental risk assessment (ERA) under the Law Concerning the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biological Diversity before import into Japan. Potential adverse effects on biodiversity are comprehensively assessed based on competitiveness, production of harmful substances and outcrossing ability. Even though imported cottonseed is intended for food and feed uses and not for cultivation, the potential risks from seed spillage during transport must be evaluated. In most cases, the ERA requires data collected from in-country field trials to demonstrate how the GM crop behaves in Japan's environment. Confined field trials in Japan were conducted for the ERA of Lepidoptera-resistant and glufosinate-tolerant GM cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) lines GHB119 and T304-40. These lines were compared with conventional varieties for growth habit, morphological characteristics, seed dormancy, and allelopathic activity associated with competitiveness and production of harmful substances. Outcrossing ability was not a concern due to the absence of sexually compatible wild relatives in Japan. Although slight statistical differences were observed between the GM line and its conventional comparator for some morphological characteristics, transgenes or transformation were not considered to be responsible for these differences. The trial demonstrated that competitiveness and production of harmful substances by these GM cotton lines were equivalent to conventional cotton varieties that have a long history of safe use, and no potential adverse effects to biosafety in Japan were observed.

中文翻译：

---

在日本进行的抗虫和耐除草剂的转基因棉（Gossypium hirsutum L.）的田间试验，用于环境风险评估。

日本主要从澳大利亚和美国进口棉籽，那里种植的所有棉花品种中有96％以上是转基因的。转基因作物在进口到日本之前，要根据《关于保护和可持续利用生物多样性的法律》进行环境风险评估（ERA）。根据竞争力，有害物质的产生和交叉能力全面评估对生物多样性的潜在不利影响。即使进口棉籽用于食品和饲料用途，而不用于耕作，也必须评估运输过程中种子溢出的潜在风险。在大多数情况下，ERA需要从国内田间试验中收集数据，以证明转基因作物在日本环境中的行为。在日本，对鳞翅目和耐草铵膦的转基因棉花（陆地棉）GHB119和T304-40的ERA进行了有限的田间试验。将这些品系与常规品种进行比较，以了解其生长习性，形态特征，种子休眠以及与竞争力和有害物质生产相关的化感活性。由于在日本没有具有性相容性的野生亲缘种，因此不存在异种交配能力的问题。尽管在GM品系及其常规比较品之间观察到了一些形态学特征的轻微统计差异，但转基因或转化不被认为是造成这些差异的原因。