from PV Satheesh of the Deccan Develoment Society (DDS) in Andhra Pradesh (AP), India

Dear GM Watch

This study does not surprise us. In fact as early as 2005, DDS studies had pointed towards the arrival of Rhizoctonia Root Rot disease on the Bt Cotton fields, which had never been seen in cotton fields in the history of the region. By 2007, five years later, this soil borne disease had spread from 2% of fields [in 2002] to 40% fields in 2007. Please see below what we have said in summing up the five years of Bt Cotton in Andhra Pradesh, India.

This is an early warning issued by the communities and scientists but the industry had criminally hidden this truth from the people. The colluding scientists and bureaucrats have not heeded this warning.

Every one of them is determined to create this crisis so that farmers get desparate and hand over their farms to corporate agriculture and leave their farms and villages to head for the nearest city to become cheap labour for the devouring industry and service sector.

p v satheesh

Root rot incidence on Cotton in Warangal and Nalgonda districts of AP

Bt Cotton has brought never-before-seen diseases for cotton farmers.

ROOT ROT, a disease which cotton farmers of AP have never seen before in their life, is slowly spreading like a silent fire.This disease made its ugly debut, and was reported in just 2-3% of the cultivated area in 2002-03, the year when Bt cotton was introduced and harvested for the first time in AP. It was caused by Rhizoctonia spp. a soil born fungus. Year after year it has been spreading, now reaching an alarming proportion of 40% of the area. See the following graph for the rising incidence of dry root rot in cotton from the time Bt cotton arrived on the scene in 2002-03.

GM WATCH wrote:

1.Bt crops Could Negatively Impact Soil
2.TWN Update of resources
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1.Bt crops Could Negatively Impact Soil

THIRD WORLD NETWORK BIOSAFETY INFORMATION SERVICE

Dear Friends and colleagues,

We wish to bring to your attention a recent study which investigated the potential
effects of two Bt corn lines (Bt 11 and Bt 176) and their plant residues on
arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, which is a group of beneficial plant symbionts
fundamental for soil fertility, a crucial factor for agricultural productivity.

The study found that both transgenic plants decreased AM's colonization and Bt 11
plant residues negatively affected AM establishment by indigenous endophytes four
months after their incorporation into the soil.

It remains to be established whether mycorrhizal colonization is reduced directly
by the Bt toxin present in corn litter or indirectly by soil microbial population
alterations or by other factors.

Given that microbial communities are fundamental to soil fertility and quality, it
is therefore important to conduct further long-term studies in the field to
evaluate the impact of GM plants on these communities. In particular, the risk
posed by GM plant residues to non-target beneficial soil microbes should be
thoroughly investigated, since any reduction in their biodiversity might produce
long-term effects on crops sequentially cultivated in the same soil in years to
come.

With best wishes,

Third World Network
131 Jalan Macalister,
10400 Penang,
Malaysia
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Website: www.biosafety-info.net and www.twnside.org.sg

Experimental Systems to Monitor the Impact of Transgenic Corn on Keystone Soil
Microorganisms

by Turrini, A. (1) , Sbrana, C. (2), & Giovannetti, M. (3)
Keywords: GMO, environmental impact, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, coexistence,
nontarget organisms

Abstract

Risks and benefits of transgenic crop plants should be evaluated not only by
assessing pollen flow, but also by considering soil persistence of transgenic
products, such as Bt toxins, which can accumulate in the soil and remain active for
a long time.

Moreover, transgenic plants are often plowed under as crop residues, representing a
potential hazard for nontarget arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, a group of
beneficial plant symbionts fundamental for soil fertility. In this study, we
monitored the effects of transgenic corn plants (Bt 11 and Bt 176) and their
residues on AM fungal growth and root colonization ability. Both transgenic plants
decreased mycorrhizal colonization and Bt 11 plant residues negatively affected
mycorrhizal establishment by indigenous endophytes four months after their
incorporation into soil.
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(1) Department of Crop Plant Biology, University of Pisa, Via del Borghetto 80,
56124 Pisa, Italy, email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

(2) Institute of Biology and Agricultural Biotechnology, CNR, UO Pisa, Via del
Borghetto 80, Pisa, Italy, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Internet: www.ibba.cnr.it

(3) Department of Crop Plant Biology, University of Pisa, Via del Borghetto 80,
56124 Pisa, Italy, email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Internet:
www.agr.unipi.it/dbpa/giovannetti

IFOAM Organic World Congress, Modena, Italy, June 16-20, 2008
Archived at http://orgprints.org/view/projects/conference.html
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2.TWN Update (of resources) for August 2008

Low Greenhouse Gas Agriculture
An FAO report argues that organic agriculture offers valuable techniques that could
mitigate greenhouse gas emissions.
http://www.biosafety-info.net/article.php?aid=528
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Saying No to Chemical Farming in India
This article highlights the move by many farmers in India to switch from
chemical-based agriculture to organic farming and the benefits they derived from
it.
http://www.biosafety-info.net/article.php?aid=532
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Organic Agriculture and Food Security in Africa
This paper argues that organic agriculture can play a significant role in meeting
the food security needs of Africa.
http://www.biosafety-info.net/article.php?aid=533