Cross-Bred Crops Trump the Failing GMO-Created Techniques

[eridani]

http://www.nationofchange.org/2014/09/28/cross-bred-crops-trump-failing-gmo-created-techniques/

Cross-bred crops get fit faster,’ says an important new article published in the journal, Nature. Within its wizened lines is advice on how to breed better corn without resorting to growing GMO.

Natasha Gilbert explains in the article how genetic engineering simply doesn’t stack up in comparison to conventional breeding efforts to create drought-resistant corn for countries like Africa that are water-scarce. She notes:

“Old-fashioned breeding techniques seem to be leading genetic modification in a race to develop crops that can withstand drought and poor soils.”

The key example she uses for making this claim is based on the Drought Tolerant Maize for Africa project, launched in 2006 with a $33 million investment. The project has developed 153 new varieties of corn to improve yields in 13 different countries. This has all been accomplished without using GM seed.

In field trials, these varieties matched or exceeded the yields from commercial seeds under good rainfall conditions, and yielded up to 30% more under drought conditions.

[djean111]

1. Waiting for the inevitable false conflation of cross-breeding corn with inserting herbicides

and/or pesticides into it. "Why, they are one and the same!", followed by a picture of stone-age corn or something. Maybe a little homily about rice with added vitamins, and don't we love the poor little children - as if that is the same as adding pesticides and herbicides.
This false conflation is always used, always fails, but I think there is a script that must be followed.

That is fabulous news, and I hope the GMO guys are not busily paying off whoever it takes to get this sort of thing banned or whatever. Or trying to contaminate the crops by planting GMO crops nearby and then suing.

[eridani]

2. The crucial fact about golden rice is that it is being developed by a non-profit group

They give the seeds away. Even though it's probably more cost effective to pass out 25 cent vitamin A tabs, golden rice may help and can't hurt. Besides which, the genes are native to the plant--it's just a matter of expressing it in the seeds as well as the leaves.

Inserting genes for pesticide resistance does nothing but create superweeds.

[djean111]

3. My point exactly. Thanks for the additional info. The rice is thrown into the same bucket,

for deflection purposes.

[madokie]

4. I think there is a ploy going on

that is trying to equate GMO with selective breeding, Hybrids if you will. I understand the two to be completely different ways of enhancing a crops yield.
the hybrid tomatoes I planted are not GMO tomatoes to the best of my understanding rather they are the product of selective breeding.
correct me I'm wrong, educate me if you will because I'm not 100% sure of either

[eridani]

5. Pretty sure it's selective breeding

Which is a very different thing from promoting superweeds by GMO pesticide resistance.