Testbiotech comment on EFSA’s assessment of genetically engineered soybean MON87751 x MON87701 x MON87708 x MON89788 by Bayer/Monsanto

The GMO panel assessed the four-stacked soybean event MON87751 x MON87701 x MON87708 x MON89788 derived from crossing genetically engineered soybean events. The parental soybeans have undergone previous assessment (EFSA, 2019a). The soybean contains genes conferring resistance to two herbicides:
• MON87751 expressing the insecticidal proteins Cry1A.105 and Cry2Ab2, with Cry1A.105 being synthetic without natural template;
• MON87701, expressing the insecticidal protein Cry1Ac;
• MON89788 expressing CP4 EPSPS protein for tolerance to glyphosate-containing herbicides;
• MON87708 expressing dicamba mono-oxygenase (DMO), for tolerance to the herbicide dicamba.

Consequently, the stacked GE soybean is resistant to two groups of complementary herbicides (glyphosate and dicamba) and produces three insecticidal proteins. The herbicides can be applied in combination or individually. Implementing Regulation 503/2003 was applied in this case.