Re:Climate science: A sensitive matter
by ParahSailin on Thursday March 28, 2013 @01:16PM
(#5456188)
The only transgenes in use for plant crops are for pest resistance. I don't know if they have anything for growth habits or metabolic engineering. All of that is done with classical breeding, and I might add that recently breeders have been breeding towards less resistance to drought; high response to irrigation and fertilizer means less energy "wasted" as roots leaving more for seeds.
They have transgene drought resistant crops that basically are no better than non-transgene versions.
However, if we stop the research now (by attacking the researchers through monsanto or by passing oppressive gmo regulation that forces them out of the industry), we will never develop superior drought resistant crops.
I believe that the precise modification of crops will be critical to responding to the stresses of climate. Classical breeding can only help us so much and the true impact of climate stress is still in the future.
So you have a mismatch of effort: those who can don't have an incentive to fix the problem for those who can't.
(Or have a counter-incentive: I'm reminded of the anti-monsanto anti-gmo fad in the USA -- despite the fact that GMO foods are our best weapon in producing drought resistant crops for regions most heavily affected by those problems!)