GM trees on trial in a field: Reductionism, risks and intractable biological objects

Identification of GM plants with their internal molecular-genetic qualities serves transformation of living organisms into identifiable commodities and objects of regulation. From molecular reductionist assumptions it also follows that scientific research is to be based on experiments that allow analysis of genetic influence in isolation. In this paper, I analyse molecular reductionism 'in action' by means of an ethnographic case study, focusing on the practices and transformations through which a field trial of transgenic trees created understanding of the risks or risklessness of the trees. The results show how the mobilisation of the field trial design, choosing of key analytical scales and formation of the research team stabilised the paths that experimentation was to follow. The scientists took the emerging inconsistencies and surprises calmly, indicating that unexpected events are an essential part of a scientific process. However, surprises could matter only in relation to the testing arrangements. Therefore, what could become visible and what could make a difference for the constitution of risk/risklessness were the fluctuations that the particular analytical assemblages defined as significant from the outset. Meanwhile, it was impossible to treat the trees and the field ecosystem as mutually constitutive. Nevertheless, there is no reason to think of knowledge production concerning transgenic organisms in deterministic terms. First, scientists are bound to be complexly engaged with the ecosystems that they are supposed to sort out. Second, consideration of the public lessons of experiments may elicit problems and limitations of molecular reductionism.

Research highlights► Molecular reductionism identifies living organisms with their internal essence. ► But mobilisation of reductionist ideals in a field trial of GM trees was not easy. ► The surprises and overflows undermined the analytical settings. ► Therefore scientists may not be that willing or able to enact fixed objects.