Pacific Spirit Marine Institute
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
The much miligned potato is entering the fast track on it’s way to genetic modefication. Being nearly perfect as it is the lowly potato could turn out to be the linch pin in the chain of food security.
The U.N. has named 2008 the year of the Potato. The lowely tuber is being looked upon as the ’silver bullet’ to fire into the heart of the rising food crisis.
Peru, where the Potato finds its origins, is sending thousands of seeds this year to the Doomsday Vault for storage. There are said to be nearly 5,000 different types of potatoes.
The potato grows almost anywhere, in almost any kind of condition and at nearly any altitude, it matures in as little as 50 days.
Of course blight on the potato was responsible for the great famine in Ireland and still causes about 20% of the world’s potato crop loss. But, never fear; the Potato is on the fast track for genetic modification!
Actually, fast track to genetic modification isn’t exactly correct. According to GM Free Cymru, Monsanto has been working on GM potatoes for a number of years.
The German company BASF was denied approval for Amflora cultivation in the EU. The genetically modified Amflora Potato was being developed for industrial applications for use in paper products and some types of glue by using the potato’s amylopectin starch. The EU Commission has delayed approval for planting Amflora in 2008.
The starch from the BASF Amflora potatoes could also be used in the textiles and even concrete. The residue of the crop was to be mix into animal feed as well. Monsanto and BASF have been working together on other GM projects.
Another player in the GM potato game is Syngenta. The South African government has allowed Michigan State University to experiment with GM Potatoes in an open environment for the past seven years. Syngenta owns the patent on the BT gene that causes the potatoes to be resistant to the tuber moth. What isn’t known is what damage this gene has on benificial insects that come into contact with the GM potatoes grown in the open. Also the risk of cross pollenation with natural crops is huge when the experimental crops are grown in open environments.
Ireland knows a little something about Potatoes. At this link you can find a lot of good information on the dangers of GM potatoes.
Photo Thanks: gm-free ireland.org The slide in the photo is rat colon tissue. The one on the left has been fed GM potato, and the one on the right has not.
Labels: BASF, GM foods, Monsanto, United Nations, Year of the Potato, gentically modified
© 2009, Pacific Spirit Marine Institute.
Hot Potatoes. Genetically Modified, Mashed or Boiled. Will Potatoes Save a Starving Planet?
