Genetically Modified Organisms

[Belaraiya]

Genetically Modified Organisms.... what's your take on the debate?

I work as a biotechnician in a GMO lab, so I get the side of the story that GM is wonderful, and is the future of grain crops. Personally, I'm not 100% convinced that GM is the solution to the worlds problems.

In the most basic of terms, what my work does is take wheat and put crap in it to make it more salt tolerant. There are certain genes naturally occuring in some wheat that means it can take more salt. We just take these out and try and stick them in other wheat, and breed it up so we have a "line" of special wheat.

My take on this is that all we're doing is increasing the randomness of a natural occurance, but still a lot of people don't trust GM. I went out to my car at work to find it covered all over with "Say no to GMO" stickers from a protest rally (When I finished laughing, I showed my work mates for a giggle)

What's your opinion?

Some basic GMO info

[Jarkis]

Yes, the green revolution.

Here in Asia, almost every country that grows rice use High-yielding seeds. This genetically altered seeds can quadriple the amount of rice harvested in a year.

Tell the poverty sticken that it is bad, they will only wave it off and continue growing it.

I have no qualms against it right now, as it feeds thousands and thousands of hungry children.

But apart from using this type of rice, there are factors like irrgations, fertilizers that help in making the seeds a success.

But thats just me...

This site gives quite a bit of info on it
AsiaRice

[Rosuav]

Just because it yields four times as much as other breeds doesn't mean it should be the only breed grown. Even laying aside the questions of genetic modification, the exclusive use of one specific variant of a crop leads to vulnerability. It has been suggested that the Irish Potato Famine would have been far less severe had not the Irish used almost exclusively one particular strain of potato which was susceptible to the blight.

GM foods seem to be significantly better than the counterparts we have previously employed. But at this stage it is hard to say for certain whether or not there will be risks. If, as I would surely hope and expect, thorough testing is done, then I'd support the use of GM food to aid the starving; but I'd be against any modification for relatively trivial purposes (to make it look better so it's more saleable, for instance).

[Jarkis]

Originally posted by Rosuav
Just because it yields four times as much as other breeds doesn't mean it should be the only breed grown.

Hmm,

Well, it is not the only one grown. They have many types of seeds to suit many conditions, only thing is, all of them are high yielding. So vulnerability is not so much of a concern either.

The point I was trying to make is, if it feeds people (india one billion population)
who are dying of hunger = good. I know on how they go on about risks to health in the future, but seriously, there is no other answer to world poverty in Asia either then this at the moment.

[Rosuav]

Originally posted by Jarkis
... there is no other answer to world poverty in Asia either then this at the moment.

Sounds a bit like the Goon Show:
Grytpype: "He is suffering from advanced poverty."
Nurse: "What's the cure, doctor?"
Grytpype: "Money. Lots of money."

In a sense that's right, and the solution for hunger is food. And in that way it is a Good Thing to grow high yield foods. But it's not a good thing to "ta da, problem solved" in such a way that leaves people complacent and vulnerable.

Well, it is not the only one grown

That's true now, but what's to happen when people look purely at the results? Farmer #1 uses this high yield grain, perhaps pays a little more for it, but gets a heap more saleable output. Farmer #2 uses a more conventional grain, and his income is lower. Are they going to look to the future, or to their pocketbooks? Variety is good, but expensive.

Note, I am not saying that genetic modification is bad. It seems to be a quite good technique, with some impressive results. But for every advantage there is a disadvantage, and until we find EVERY disadvantage, there will be risk.

[Jarkis]

Originally posted by Jarkis
at the moment.

at the moment Rosuav. At the moment it is the only solution. Until more can be done, right now this is the cure. I didn say problem solved.

And most HY seeds are subsidised by the governments. This seeds do not come cheap and require fertilizer. Most farmers become a community and help each other out. And its more like country A plants this type of seed to suit climate while country B uses another type for a much harsher weather. Not farmer A and farmer B. Since seeds are made to suit climate and resistance against pests. But if a famine does occur it would suck, but remember the seeds are made to be resistant made to stand the climatic changes. And also irrigation and fertilizer are used to ensure it survives.

This however drives to a political will of the goverment. Whether they would invest in High Yielding Seeds. So far nearly all countries in Asia do that.

And its not just giving away food and money, its to educate the farmers on how to work together like a community. Once they can be successfully taken out of the poverty cycle, then life goes on.

But its not a cheery story all the way. Sometimes Farmer A has better luck then other farmers and he buys their land and force them to work. Farmer A grows rich but ten other farmers are forced to work on the measly sum A gives them.

Not saying the GMO is perfect. But I think its good outweighs the bad, for now. So I agree partly with you.

[Rosuav]

Originally posted by Jarkis
And its more like country A plants this type of seed to suit climate while country B uses another type for a much harsher weather. Not farmer A and farmer B.

Precisely my point. If the new seed is found to be vulnerable to something, and that something strikes, the entire country is devastated - financially as well as everything else, as they now have to buy in what they were growing themselves, maybe exporting.

So I agree partly with you.

As I with you.

[Belaraiya]

That was my argument at work. Sure, it can handle more salt, BUT how it is it for frost (a major problem in the area this wheat is designed for), pest resistance, and future health risks?

I got told to be quiet and keep plodding along.

Oh well, personally, until this wheat is tested for human consumption - be it directly in the form of flour, or via animal feed, I wouldn't touch it with a 10 foot pole... and I work with the stuff?! That's saying something