April 24, 2008 08:10 AM
by
findingDulcinea Staff
A recent study found that
the yield from genetically modified soya was 10 percent smaller than
the yield from plants that were not genetically engineered.
Touted as part of the solution to world hunger, genetically modified
(GM) crops have long battled political and philosophical opposition.
Now a study suggests that they may encounter economic issues as well.
For the past three years, researchers at Kansas State have compared
Monsanto genetically modified soybean crops with an unaltered variety.
Barney Gordon, a professor of agronomy at Kansas State, said that the
study began because farmers questioned why they got less output from
genetically engineered crops. He found that GM soybeans produce less grain per acre and now thinks it is possible “that the modification hindered the crop's take-up of the essential element from the soil.”
These results were released following the International Service for the
Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA) report that developing
countries implemented GM crops in record high numbers
in 2007. Clive James of the ISAA said today’s poverty stems from
agricultural difficulties and “this technology can make a contribution.”
However, opposition to GM crops remains strong and environmental groups such as Greenpeace continue to protest their use.
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