See other Science/Tech Articles
Title: Field studies find lower productivity with GM seeds
Source:
The Intedendent (UK)/Axis of Logic
URL Source: http://axisoflogic.com/artman/publish/article_26789.shtml
Published: May 26, 2008
Author: Not Given
Post Date: 2008-05-26 19:53:12 by Original_Intent
Keywords: frankenfood, GMO, agriculture
Views: 314
Comments: 14
(The Independent, UK) – Genetic modification actually cuts the productivity of crops, an authoritative new study shows, undermining repeated claims that a switch to the controversial technology is needed to solve the growing world food crisis. The study – carried out over the past three years at the University of Kansas in the US grain belt – has found that GM soya produces about 10 per cent less food than its conventional equivalent, contradicting assertions by advocates of the technology that it increases yields. Professor Barney Gordon, of the university's department of agronomy, said he started the research – reported in the journal Better Crops – because many farmers who had changed over to the GM crop had "noticed that yields are not as high as expected even under optimal conditions". He added: "People were asking the question 'how come I don't get as high a yield as I used to?'" He grew a Monsanto GM soybean and an almost identical conventional variety in the same field. The modified crop produced only 70 bushels of grain per acre, compared with 77 bushels from the non-GM one. The GM crop – engineered to resist Monsanto's own weed killer, Roundup – recovered only when he added extra manganese, leading to suggestions that the modification hindered the crop's take-up of the essential element from the soil. Even with the addition it brought the GM soya's yield to equal that of the conventional one, rather than surpassing it. The new study confirms earlier research at the University of Nebraska, which found that another Monsanto GM soya produced 6 per cent less than its closest conventional relative, and 11 per cent less than the best non-GM soya available. The Nebraska study suggested that two factors are at work. First, it takes time to modify a plant and, while this is being done, better conventional ones are being developed. This is acknowledged even by the fervently pro-GM US Department of Agriculture, which has admitted that the time lag could lead to a "decrease" in yields. But the fact that GM crops did worse than their near-identical non-GM counterparts suggest that a second factor is also at work, and that the very process of modification depresses productivity. The new Kansas study both confirms this and suggests how it is happening. A similar situation seems to have happened with GM cotton in the US, where the total US crop declined even as GM technology took over. Monsanto said yesterday that it was surprised by the extent of the decline found by the Kansas study, but not by the fact that the yields had dropped. It said that the soya had not been engineered to increase yields, and that it was now developing one that would. Critics doubt whether the company will achieve this, saying that it requires more complex modification. And Lester Brown, president of the Earth Policy Institute in Washington – and who was one of the first to predict the current food crisis – said that the physiology of plants was now reaching the limits of the productivity that could be achieved. A former champion crop grower himself, he drew the comparison with human runners. Since Roger Bannister ran the first four-minute mile more than 50 years ago, the best time has improved only modestly . "Despite all the advances in training, no one contemplates a three-minute mile." Last week the biggest study of its kind ever conducted – the International Assessment of Agricultural Science and Technology for Development – concluded that GM was not the answer to world hunger. Professor Bob Watson, the director of the study and chief scientist at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when asked if GM could solve world hunger, said: "The simple answer is no." http://www.ranchers.net/forum/about25546.html
Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest
#1. To: farmfriend, Peppa, ratcat, Wudidiz, TwentyTwelve, christine, All (#0)
(((((Monsatan Ping)))))
"The difference between an honorable man and a moral man is that an honorable man regrets a discreditable act even when it has worked and he is in no danger of being caught." ~ H. L. Mencken
IMHO, The GM frankenfood creators won't stop until every living plant on the planet is sterile, and the only food anyone anywhere can get comes from their frankenfood factories. These people are quite literally evil incarnate.
#2. To: Original_Intent (#1)
 | Gold and silver are REAL money, paper is but a promise. |
#3. To: Original_Intent (#0)
Fools that think they can do better than God. God warned people about messing with seeds. Those that do it will pay the price.
Monsanto said yesterday that it was surprised by the extent of the decline found by the Kansas study, but not by the fact that the yields had dropped. It said that the soya had not been engineered to increase yields, and that it was now developing one that would.
God is always good!
#4. To: Elliott Jackalope (#2)
I think you've pretty much nailed it. That is one of the reasons they had to invent the phoney "FDA Organic" which is not organic and allows the use of GM plants as long as they are organically grown. This also ties into the eugenics agenda and world food control. Since GM seeds are patented you may only buy from the patent holder and if, as up in Canada, your field is contaminated by pollen from their frankencrops then Monsatan will sue you for infringing their patent. With food control comes people control and controlled starvation of the "useless eaters" i.e., you, me, your kids, and anyone else not part of the feudal lord class. Yes, their designs are completely evil.
"The difference between an honorable man and a moral man is that an honorable man regrets a discreditable act even when it has worked and he is in no danger of being caught." ~ H. L. Mencken
#5. To: Original_Intent, *Agriculture-Environment* (#0)
Thanks for the ping.
Don't let turtle know I have him on bozo or I'll put you on bozo too!
#6. To: farmfriend (#5)
You are most welcome.
"The difference between an honorable man and a moral man is that an honorable man regrets a discreditable act even when it has worked and he is in no danger of being caught." ~ H. L. Mencken
#7. To: Elliott Jackalope (#2)
So it seems.
These people are quite literally evil incarnate.
"Satan / Cheney in "08" 
#8. To: Elliott Jackalope (#2)
I cannot think of another corporation that more truly and closely matches melodramatic evilness than Monsanto. If only it were a mere play.
These people are quite literally evil incarnate.
#9. To: Pinguinite (#8)
If only it were a mere play. Hear hear. Hopefully the bad guy dies in the end and it turns into a happy musical.
I cannot think of another corporation that more truly and closely matches melodramatic evilness than Monsanto.
"HOLODOMOR" is Ukrainian word for "FAMINE-GENOCIDE"
#10. To: Original_Intent (#1)
"When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love has always won. There have been tyrants and murderers and for a time they seem invincible but in the end, they always fall -- think of it, ALWAYS." ~ Mahatma Ghandi
#11. To: wudidiz, Original_Intent (#10)
Oooo I like that.
Don't let turtle know I have him on bozo or I'll put you on bozo too!
#12. To: wudidiz (#10)
That pretty well sums it up. I like it too - in a sad way.
"The difference between an honorable man and a moral man is that an honorable man regrets a discreditable act even when it has worked and he is in no danger of being caught." ~ H. L. Mencken
#13. To: Original_Intent, Elliott Jackalope, RickyJ (#4)
[ you may be right! www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/Isa/Isa014.html#12 / www.blueletterbible.org/tsk_b/Mat/24/37.html ] ============= Fools that think they can do better than God. God warned people about messing with seeds. Those that do it will pay the price. ============== I think you've pretty much nailed it. That is one of the reasons they had to invent the phoney "FDA Organic" which is not organic and allows the use of GM plants as long as they are organically grown. This also ties into the eugenics agenda and world food control. Since GM seeds are patented you may only buy from the patent holder and if, as up in Canada, your field is contaminated by pollen from their frankencrops then Monsatan will sue you for infringing their patent. With food control comes people control and controlled starvation of the "useless eaters" i.e., you, me, your kids, and anyone else not part of the feudal lord class. Yes, their designs are completely evil. Connecting the dots over here: http://freedom4um.com/cgi-bin/re...cgi?ArtNum=81257&Disp=1#1
IMHO, The GM frankenfood creators won't stop until every living plant on the planet is sterile, and the only food anyone anywhere can get comes from their frankenfood factories. These people are quite literally evil incarnate.
"...as long as there..remain active enemies of the Christian church, we may hope to become Master of the World...the future Jewish King will never reign in the world before Christianity is overthrown - B'nai B'rith speech http://www.biblebelievers.org.au/luther.htm / http://bible.cc/psalms/83-4.htm
#14. To: AllTheKings'HorsesWontDoIt (#13)
Got it. Yes, it is a grim picture but it must be seen for what it is and not what the PR/PsyOps tries to sell it as. If we had truth in labeling in effect here the Frankencrops would be labeled with the Skull and Crossed Bones.
"The difference between an honorable man and a moral man is that an honorable man regrets a discreditable act even when it has worked and he is in no danger of being caught." ~ H. L. Mencken
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest