ISSN 0095-4527, Cytology and Genetics, 2012, Vol. 46, No. 4, pp. 251–262. © Allerton Press, Inc., 2012. Original Ukrainian Text © N.O. Kozub, L.A. Pilipenko, I.O. Sozinov, Ya.B. Blume, O.O. Sozinov, 2012, published in Tsitologiya i Genetika, 2012, Vol. 46, No. 4, pp. 73–86. 251 INTRODUCTION Development and successful commercial cultiva- tion of genetically modified (GM) plants (also called transgenic or biotechnological plants) is a prominent biotechnological achievement in agriculture. In 2010, transgenic plants (soybean, maize, cotton, canola, and sugar beet) were grown on 148 million hectares of land worldwide (figure); about 100% of all commer- cially grown GM crops were developed for the purpose of plant protection: such plants carry transgenes con- ferring resistance to pests and herbicides [1]. Accord- ing to some estimates, the use of GM plants resistant to insects and herbicides reduced pesticide pressure by 8.8% in 1996–2009 [2]. However, besides positive sci- entific and economic aspects [3], commercial cultiva- tion of GM plants gives rise to ambiguous assessments of ecological [4, 5] and social consequences [6] that complicates the legal regulation of this problem at the national level [7]. Exactly these circumstances prompted the authors of this review to analyze the achievements and prospects in the area of transgenic plant development and to summarize ecological and social risks in the case of their commercial cultivation. At the beginning of the 1980s, the first transgenic plants were generated through a transformation method with the use of vectors based on the Ti plasmid of Agrobacterium tumefaciens (Ti stands for tumor- inducing) [8, 9]. A. tumefaciens bacteria possess a nat- ural ability to transform a host plant infected by these bacteria; such a transformation occurs via the integra- tion of a Ti plasmid DNA fragment (T-DNA) into a plant genome. The T-DNA integration into the host plant genome and the expression of bacterial genes lead to tumor formation in infected plants [10]. To generate GM plants, several subsequent manipula- tions should be conducted: a gene that encodes a desired trait is inserted into T-DNA of a nonvirulent plasmid (the genes that determine neoplastic growth were excised from the plasmid); the Agrobacterium strain that contains a “helper” plasmid is transformed with this construct, and plant cells are inoculated with the resulting Agrobacterium. [11]. To select trans- formed cells (that contain an integrated transgene), it is necessary to use selectable markers. The gene for neomycin phosphotransferase (nptIII) which confers kanamycin resistance was the first of these markers [11]. Accordingly, mature plants are regenerated from cells grown in a medium containing kanamycin. The ability of Agrobacterium to infect only dicotyledonous Genetically Modified Plants and Plant Protection Problems: Progress and Estimation of Potential Risks N. O. Kozub a, b , L. A. Pilipenko a , I. O. Sozinov a , Ya. B. Blume b , and O. O. Sozinov a, b a Institute of Plant Protection, Ukrainian Academy of Agrarian Sciences, vul. Vasil’kovskaya 33, Kiev, 03022 Ukraine b Institute of Food Biotechnology and Genomics, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, vul. Osipovskogo 2A, Kiev, 04123 Ukraine e-mail: sia1953@mail.ru Received December 1, 2011 Abstract—In this review, the achievements and perspectives for the creation of transgenic plants are ana- lyzed. Until now, virtually all commercially cultivated genetically modified plants have been developed for the purpose of getting a solution to the problem of plant protection: such plants carry transgenes conferring resis- tance to herbicides, pests, and viruses. Approaches used for the development of commercial genetically mod- ified varieties resistant to herbicides, insects, and viruses were considered; strategic approaches and perspec- tives for the development of commercial genetically modified plants resistant to fungal and bacterial patho- gens and nematodes were also examined. The ecological (including agronomic issues) and social risks connected with commercial cultivation of transgenic crops were discussed. DOI: 10.3103/S0095452712040081 Total global area under GM plants, mln ha [1]. 1996 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2010 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2009