Strained economy makes genetically modified corn more palatable

Darkfrog submitted, created time 8 months 2 weeks (www.nytimes.com)

I've been saying it: Things affect each other in ways that we can't always predict. The global economy coupled with new interest in biofuels has made food prices skyrocket. The result? Soft drink companies in Asia are foregoing traditionally grown corn in favor of genetically modified corn.

Less pesticide, less herbicide, less expensive. Genetically modified corn deserves its shot!

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Transgenic crops can persist for ten years

Sue Wu submitted, created time 9 months 5 days (www.nature.com)

Transgenic oilseed rape can survive and produce plants as much as a decade after it was sown, according to a study done in Sweden.

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French uphold ban on genetically modified seed corn

Darkfrog submitted, created time 9 months 2 weeks (www.nytimes.com)

The top French court just upheld a ban on the use of genetically modified corn, a month after its inception. It had been challenged by farmers. This article does a good job of showing the clash between economic (and environmental) interests and organic and environmental interests. (Yes, I said "environmental" twice. One camp is pleased to use less pesticide and the other is worried about contamination.)

Genetically modified, or at least selectively bred, corn has been used in the U.S. for some time now

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Water: More crop per drop

davidd submitted, created time 9 months 2 weeks (www.nature.com)

Farmers' yields in the developing world are often limited by unreliable rains. Improving their harvests will require plant breeders, agronomists and geneticists to pull together — but can these experts work out their differences?

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Malaria fact file

davidd submitted, created time 10 months 1 week (www.nature.com)

How many people contract malaria? Which places are hardest hit? Has incidence or mortality been cut much in the past decades? Which has been more successful: prevention or treatment? How do you prevent malaria infections? What about making genetically modified mosquitoes that can't carry the disease?

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Engineered crop plants: Trap or treasure?

Darkfrog submitted, created time 10 months 3 weeks (www.nytimes.com)

This article discusses the proliferation of genetically engineered crop plants in the international agricultural market, particularly in developing countries. The concern is that poor farmers will become beholden to the companies that own the patents on these particular strains, but I think the whole matter is fear-hyped. Genetically engineered crops tend to be hardier, more cost-effective and require less pesticide. That's a good thing all around.

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New York Times examines east-west divide over stem cells and God

Darkfrog submitted, created time 1 year 1 month (www.nytimes.com)

I know we've got a few folks from China on this board and I'd love to know what you think of this one:

Now that the White House is going "Ha ha, we were right" with regards to the great accomplishment that was published in Cell and Science yesterday, I found this rather contemplative piece. A lot of western scientists are moving to Singapore and Seoul because there are fewer restrictions. The TierneyLab took a look at the religious ideas that make westerners more skittish of cloning, stem cell research and genetically modified plants and animals than people in other places

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EU patent for genetically modified soybeans revoked

Hecate submitted, created time 1 year 8 months (www.nature.com)

Thirteen years ago, an agricultural company called Monsanto patented its "recipe" for genetically modified soybeans. This week, said patent was rejected by the European Patent Office, citing lack of novelty. The patent was actually for a means of creating any kind of genetically modified soybean, not just a particular strain. Opponents of the patent claimed that it gave Monsato "de facto control over all modified soybeans." The debate brought forward such motley allies as Syngenta, Greenpeace and Canada's ETC.

2 comments | Blog It | Email It | Keywords: agricultural agriculture genetically modified organisms soybeans GMO patents environmentalism environmentalists