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Science Forum Index » Agriculture Forum » GM Crops Aren't The Greatest Threat To Biological Diversity
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| David Kendra |
 Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2003 8:59 pm |
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Guest
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GM Crops Aren't The Greatest Threat To Biological Diversity
Major Goodman
Professor, College of Agriculture & Life Science, North Carolina State
University
Corn Breeder and Expert on the Maize Genome
An expert in corn, Major Goodman has two important questions when
considering whether GM corn is a significant threat to maize diversity: Are
GMO genes themselves any different from any other genes? And, will GM maize
have any effect on maize in Mexico?
To the first question he argues, "In general, they are not."
"I'm a plant breeder. I work with 10,000 to 20,000 genes at a time [when
making conventional hybrids]," he points out. In fact when breeding corn the
traditional way by crossing [mating] different varieties, he says. "I have
no idea what these genes are. These are very wide crosses. I strongly
suspect that this is more a threat to the status quo than a single
[transgene]."
Yet, mankind has been doing just that for at least 10,000 years since the
advent of agriculture and the birth of civilization. Otherwise, "we wouldn't
be here today," he points out.
Goodman is far less sanguine when considering whether GM maize will affect
Mexican maize. "It might," he says.
"Scientifically-improved [hybrid] corn has been around in Mexico since at
least the mid or early 1930's. Yet this has had remarkably little effect on
maize in Mexico. That's because only large farmers use most scientifically
improved corn," he notes. And, those farmers are in Jalisco, Chiapas and
northern Mexican states. "But much of Mexico's corn farming is rain-fed,
rain-limited and in the mid to high-elevation regions."
These are the products of very ancient breeding programs by local small
farmers. They are generally isolated from the scientifically improved
varieties and don't even "flower" at the same time - so they have a hard
time crossing.
What's more, he says, "Hybrids work well when you have a large area to grow
and market them in." In contrast, they are poor performers in Oaxaca, the
maize Center of Origin, because there are too many microclimates and
virtually no irrigation. That means the small farmers are better off using
locally-bred corn that is adapted to, for instance, resist fungus in wet
highlands, or endure drought conditions in the lowlands.
"I have no doubt that GMOs have reached Mexico." But it's doubtful there is
any effect on the indigenous maize. Even if a hybrid appeared, they tend to
do well in the first generation and that vigor quickly degrades by the
second and third generations. "The odds of a transgene surviving are not
very good."
That's not to say Goodman believes Mexican maize is thriving. He notes, "I'd
say there is a big threat from U.S. trade policy."
A U.S. farmer invests about five minutes per bushel of corn. Mexican farmers
may invest more than 24 hours per bushel. That difference in efficiency,
plus the corn subsidies in the U.S. and NAFTA, are driving the small farmers
out of business - and the ancient maize races (hence maize biodiversity) are
disappearing as well. This is especially true since maize can not grow
without human intervention.
Goodman notes the survival of the Mexican farmer and the demographic changes
associated with corn cultivation are much bigger threats than GMOs. He
believes Mexican national germplasm banks need better funding because they
are non-funded at the moment. In addition, U.S. germplasm banks need help as
well. "That would certainly be the first response," Goodman notes. "In the
long run it's very much in mankind's best interest to see that these genes
are preserved."
For more information, visit the Goodman Lab online. |
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