Slashdot Mirror
GM DNA Spreading...
Raphter writes: "Frightening study on GM crop genes spreading to wild plants. Original [subscription required] is here." The best part is the farmers who have been sued because plants on their land showed traces of this same DNA, and the agriculture giants alleged the farmers must have planted them.
You miss the point. I'm not talking about GM'ed crops, I'm talking about these GM'ed-genes-in-the-wild which are in fact the subject of the story. I know the arguments against GM'ing crops.
BTW, your argument is not one of them. You are arguing against genetic uniformity. Genetic uniformity is caused by the perceived need to maximize short term production at all costs, leading to the use of a small selection of current "best" gene lines at the expense of all others. GM can in fact only increase the diversity of the gene pool by adding genes to the pool that were not there previously.
(Note that I have not made the claim that therefore GM is good; if you thought that, I suggest you read more carefully in the future. Some people have naunced views. This comment not directed at the original poster necessarily.)
Fish genes can get into tomatoes naturally? How exactly does that happen?
Viruses. For the details, you'll have to look it up. And yes, that particular combination is unlikely, but any two species that can be infected by the same virus could potentially directly share DNA that way.