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.

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Also on the BBC via poliglut

[rw2]

poliglut discussion

Teosinte

[DaoudaW]

One of the saddest things about this story, is that the genetic purity of Teosinte, the proto-maize, is being threatened. Modern corn relies on modern ag techniques, but teosinte manages to survive just fine in the wild. To survive in the wild takes much more genetic diversity and resistance to all types of pests and competition. Don't want to lose them goood genes.

Interesting, the GM reaction, a little PR please

[monkeyserver.com]

It's quite interesting the reaction you get when you throw genetically modified into something. People's corn have been cross polenating for thousands of years, and ppl have been performing Genetic Selection on the varieties they plant as well. This probably the most basic form of Genetic Manipulation, but it is a form.

Now that science can do more sophisticated forms of this everyone flips out. I do see that the possibility of danger is higher, but everything that the scientists do can (and possibly has) occur in nature.

I do agree that testing needs to be done, but more importantly ppl need to be informed that these scientists are trying to improve products, not make gross odities. They are taking a random act (evolution) and trying to direct it towards a productive end.

Adding to the pool threatens diversity?

[Jerf]

Somebody help me. Adding genes to the pool threatens diversity?

We're all computer people here. Genes are genes, there's no magical "man-made" marker that makes them evil. (Some protesters think there is. I consider them idiots. Other protesters have better reasoned opions. I listen to them.) The gene won't spread to the whole population unless it enhances survivability, and even then, it probably won't get to ALL the plants.

Massive dieoffs of particular genes happen all the time, and is part of "evolution".

I don't understand the panic, unless you have the unfounded "man made genes are somehow automatically evil" idea. Genes have been transferring amongst life forms since the invention of viruses at least.

Then again, I'm a rational environmentalist, not a reactionary one. I've never understood the reactionaries.

Re:Adding to the pool threatens diversity?

[Jerf]

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.)

Re:Interesting, the GM reaction, a little PR pleas

[Catskul]

I agree that people shouldnt freak out, but be very cautious. The problem with GM is that if a specific GM makes a modification that happens to be extremely harmfull to a crop in a situation like drought, or insect swarms, then its likely that all of the plants that have assumed the effective part of the GM genes will be vulnerable. The reason that this isnt normaly a problem in nature is that muatations in genes are normaly indetectibly subtle. Being subtle, they lack much risk of making a plant extremely vulnerable. When changes that occur in nature arnt subtle, since the changes are random, its likely that the change will harm the plant enough to remove it and its offspring from the gene pool pretty quickly.
On top of all of this, in nature, it doesnt matter if only 100 plants out of 1,00,000 survive some environmental situation. Those 100 will go on to reproduce and become the new population. In relation to human lives, it is important. If only 100 plants survive, a huge supply of food being wiped out, will certainly cause a problem.

Re:Interesting, the GM reaction, a little PR pleas

[Jerf]

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.