Notes

Genetically modified crops have advantages over weeds

Herbicide resistance may give plants an advantage in the wild.

Credit goes to Xiao Yang
A technique of genetic modification widely used to create crops that are resistant to herbicides has been proven to give advantages to the weedy rice, even in the absence of the herbicide. This finding suggests that the modifications could have an impact on the environment beyond farms.

A variety of varieties of crops have been created genetically to resist glyphosate. The herbicide, initially known as Roundup and then introduced into the market in 1996 under the tradename Roundup. https://setiweb.ssl.berkeley.edu/beta/show_user.php?userid=9332049 can eradicate most the weeds that grow in their fields by using this glyphosate-resistant crop without causing damage to their crops.

Glyphosate inhibits plant growth by blocking an enzyme referred to as EPSP synthase. It is involved in the production of certain amino acids and other molecules that comprise about 35% of the plant's mass. The method of genetic modification, which is used in Roundup Ready crops by Monsanto (based in St Louis in Missouri), involves inserting genes in a plant to boost EPSP synthase production. The genes typically come from bacteria that infect the plants.

This additional EPSP synthase permits the plant to withstand the effects of glyphosate. ラウンドアップ are also attempting to use genes that come from plants instead of bacteria to increase EPSP synthase. This is due to the fact that the US law allows regulatory approval that allows organisms that have transgenes to be accepted.

ラウンドアップ have looked into the possibility that transgenes like those that confer glyphosate resistance can -- once they are wild or weedy relatives by cross-pollination, make plants more competitive in terms of survival and reproduction. Norman Ellstrand, a University of California plant geneticist, says that in the absence of selection pressure, any kind of transgene is likely to create disadvantages on wild plants. The added machinery will reduce fitness.

Lu Baorong of Fudan University in Shanghai is in the process of challenging this notion. The study shows that glyphosate resistance , even when applied to a weedy varieties of the rice crop can give a significant health benefit.

Lu and his associates modified the cultivars of rice to increase the production of EPSP synthase. They also crossed the modified rice with a weedy-related. Their findings were published in NewPhytologist 1.

The group then let the offspring of crossbreeding to cross-breed with each other to create second-generation hybrids. They were identical genetically except for the amount of EPSP synthase genes they carried. The hybrids that had more copies of the gene were more likely to produce more tryptophan and had greater levels of enzymes than the unmodified hybrids.

Researchers also discovered that transgenics have higher rates of flowering, more flowers and 48 to 125 percent more seeds per plant than nontransgenics.

Making the weedy rice more competitive may cause more problems for farmers across the globe who's plots are infested by pests, Lu says.

Brian Ford-Lloyd, Brian Ford-Lloyd is a UK plant geneticist who states, "If the EPSP synthase gene is introduced into wild rice species, their genetic diversity would be threatened which is really important because the genotype with transgene is superior to the natural species." "This is a prime instance of the most likely and harmful impacts of GM crops on the environment."

There is ラウンドアップ that genetically engineered crops that have more copies or microorganisms' genes are less risky than those with only their own genes. "Our study suggests that this isn't necessarily the case," says Lu.

ラウンドアップ call for a reconsideration of the future regulation of genetically modified crops, some scientists say. Ellstrand thinks that biosafety regulations could be relaxed as we can enjoy a high level comfort from two decades worth of genetic engineering. The study revealed that the newest products must be evaluated carefully.


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