Genetically Modified Crops May Yield Less Food, Study Says

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.

30-Second Summary 

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.  READ MORE