Anne wrote:
> An article in _Science News Online_ V155(21) May 22 1999
> notes that "Eating pollen from corn plants genetically
> engineered to make their own pesticide can kill larvae of
> monarch butterflies, according to a Cornell University study"
>
> Any insights about this aspect of genetically engineered
> plants?
Hello, me again.
hmm, thanks Anne.
Well, to my mind, this would make bt corn as bad as, but no worse than, a
field of normal corn sprayed with insecticide........with one
exception......and that's the issue of cross-contamination/escapes of such
crops. If the risk of this is moderately high, then I reckon there's
sufficient reason not to allow bt corn.
I spose now we need to know the level of this risk.
W
(btw, I still don't think I've finished with shrews & Canola! But praps I
might be allowed to come back to that one - damned 'busy-ness' keeps getting
in the way!!)
----- Original Message -----
From: "ANNE MARECK" <[log in to unmask]>
To: "Wayne Butler" <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, July 30, 2003 5:03 PM
Subject: Bt corn kills Monarch butterflies
> An article in _Science News Online_ V155(21) May 22 1999
> notes that "Eating pollen from corn plants genetically
> engineered to make their own pesticide can kill larvae of
> monarch butterflies, according to a Cornell University study"
>
> Any insights about this aspect of genetically engineered
> plants?
>
> Anne
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: John Foster <[log in to unmask]>
> Date: Wednesday, July 30, 2003 11:53 am
> Subject: Re: Genetic Engineering
>
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "STEVEN BISSELL" <[log in to unmask]>
> > To: <[log in to unmask]>
> > Sent: Wednesday, July 30, 2003 7:09 AM
> > Subject: Re: Genetic Engineering
> >
> >
> > > John wrote, "Ironically, though, it has been exposed that
> GM crops
> > increase
> > > pesticide
> > > use."
> > >
> > > Steven here; I think that 'proof' is entirely antecdotal. At
> > least from
> > the
> > > reports I've read on GM soybeans, (an ecological disaster
> even if
> > it's not
> > > GM) is that herbicide use goes way down and other
> pesticides are
> > also> reduced.
> > >
> > > Steven
> >
> > I have the references in earlier posts which prove
> scientifically
> > that GM do
> > not decrease pesticide useage.
> >
> > And,
> >
> > Interesting you mentioned soybeans. Roundup ready
> soybeans require
> > moreherbicide than regular soybeans because a pre-
> emergent is not
> > used. The
> > problem with the pre-emergent is that there are 'residual
> effects'
> > of the
> > herbicide in the soil, and also that some weeds have
> developed
> > resistance to
> > the Roundup. The solution then was to develop a crop
> genetically
> > that would
> > be resistant to very high concentrations of Roundup, thus
> removing
> > moreweeds. Of course eventually some weeds will develop
> higher
> > resistance to
> > Roundup and then the GM crop will be useless. GM crops
> are like
> > 'artifacts'really.
> >
> > Organic soybeans however are relatively easy to grow
> because
> > soybean is a
> > legume, fixes nitrogen in the soil. Thus it can be grown like
> > clover. With
> > green manuring in the fall with a crop of rye grass or
> something
> > like that
> > it is relatively easy to grow organic soybeans, and organic
> > soybeans are not
> > expensive. Most tofu on the market is made from organic
> soybean.
> >
> > However if the land owner simply rents out the land and is
> only
> > interestedin money, then chances are that it will be used to
> grow
> > GM crops, because
> > this type of farming requires less labour and less thought.
> >
> > The Bt corn does not reduce pesticide use. That was
> determined
> > recently by
> > the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture).
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > >
> > >
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