London

Britain's field-scale trials of genetically modified crops cost millions to set up and are the most extensive studies of their kind in the world. So plant scientists were surprised to learn last week that their results will not be included in a comprehensive, government-funded science review of the safety of such crops.

The review is one of three initiatives the government has scheduled for the run-up to its decision on whether to allow the commercial planting of transgenic crops. The other two are a study of the economic benefits and a national public debate (see Nature 419, 327; 200210.1038/419327a). The government wants the results of all three initiatives by June next year, a month before the first results from the field-scale trials are due to be published.

The trials will assess the effect on wildlife of large-scale cultivation of the crops (see Nature 412, 760–763; 2001). “These field releases are the only large-scale risk assessment that's been carried out in Britain and it's odd that we're not going to discuss them at all,” says Carlo Leifert, a nutritionist who directs the Tesco Centre for Organic Agriculture in Stocksfield, Northumberland, and is a member of the panel that will conduct the science review. “It's one of the things I intend to raise at our first meeting.”

Government officials say that the trials were not being included in the review because they are only addressing a narrow question about one type of crop and biodiversity. “It would be absurd if we focused on one trial in the United Kingdom,” says David King, the government's chief scientific adviser. “I don't think many countries know about our little experiments.”

But such language contrasts sharply with previous government statements. In March 2000, environment minister Michael Meacher said: “There will be no commercial growing until we are satisfied there will be no unacceptable effects on the environment. That is why we have led the world by setting up this research programme, which will give us the answers to these important questions.”

The government says that it will still consider the results of the trials before making a decision on whether to allow commercial use of transgenic crops, but many still do not understand why the results are to be omitted from the science review.

Researchers advising the government could only say that they have come under pressure to ensure that the review and debate are finished before the trials' results come out. “They were very clear that they wanted it over and done with by June,” says one member of the steering group that will coordinate the public debate.