gene Flow: Implications for Crop Diversity and Wild Relatives

6.2 Context-specific considerationsThe country, crop, and/or transgenic trait under considerationmay be relevant to policy decisions on transgenic crops. Forexample, gene flow to landraces and wild relatives of maizemay be an issue for a country such as Mexico, but not forCanada. Certain types of transgenic products may also triggerpolicy implications if they may impact sensitive non-targetbiodiversity. Foremost is a robust detection and monitoringsystem, whereby specific information on the marker DNAsequences, molecular characterisations and backgroundknowledge on gene flow potential will all be important in anybiosafety policy on transgenic crops. Lastly, beyond the possibleecological and economic implications of gene flow, the possiblesocio-economic costs of unintended gene flow must also betaken into account in any policy decision or risk assessment(Gepts & Papa 2003).24