NOTE: Before the much vaunted GM drought resistant varieties that have been promised for so long (but are still not available), along comes a non-GM drought resistant corn. So GM once again generates all the hype, while conventional breeding quietly delivers the result.

But this desirable non-GM trait is only being offered to farmers in crop varieties that also contain GM traits like herbicide tolerance. This marketing restriction has two undesirable effects of (1) associating the desirable non-GM trait with a GM crop, and (2) forcing farmers to adopt (and pay for) more expensive patent controlled GM varieties in order to get the benefits of the non-GM trait.

And this isn't the first time this has happened. Exactly the same trick was pulled with (non-GM) low-linoleic acid soybeans: http://bit.ly/dWi3Y3 Drought tolerance, though, will be a much more important trait.

There have also been many reports of a more general problem with conventionally improved germplasm often being made available only in combination with GM traits, thus creating a misleading impression of the performance of GM varieties.
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New drought-tolerant corn welcomed
GeneWatch press release, 5 January 2011
http://www.genewatch.org/article.shtml?als[cid]=567368&als[itemid]=567367

GeneWatch UK today welcomed news that new drought-tolerant corn (maize) has been developed by DuPont using conventional breeding methods. DuPont's new corn was announced today (1). Syngenta made a similar announcement in late December (2). Its corn was also developed using conventional breeding informed by new genetic information (known as 'marker assisted selection').

"Improved scientific knowledge has helped deliver better seeds" said GeneWatch UK's Director, Dr Helen Wallace. "Drought-tolerance is a complex trait and cannot be delivered by engineering a single gene into a plant. The false promises made for GM crops should be abandoned in favour of these welcome new conventionally bred varieties".

However, GeneWatch criticised Syngenta for stating that it will only market its new seed with two existing GM traits (herbicide tolerance and pesticide resistance) also included in the seed. US farmers are struggling to cope with herbicide tolerant 'superweeds' spreading across the US as a result of growing GM herbicide tolerant crops (3). Pest resistance is also developing as a result of the use of GM pest resistant crops.

"Patents on these GM traits will allow Syngenta to charge a premium for technology that does more harm than good", said Dr Wallace. "This is a cynical attempt to lock farmers into spiralling costs for expensive seeds and chemicals instead of making the new conventional variety widely available".

Genetically modified (GM) plants with new properties including drought- and salt-tolerance and the ability to fix nitrogen were first promised in a US Office of Technology Assessment report in 1981. Agricultural research was reorganised to focus on GM and companies were allowed to patent GM seeds. However, no such products have been delivered despite 30 years' investment in GM research, due to the multiple genetic factors involved in the survival of plants in harsh environments (4).

For further information contact: Dr Helen Wallace: 01298-24300 (office); 07903-311584 (mobile).

Notes for Editors
(1) Dow Jones Newswires: http://www.nasdaq.com/aspx/stock-market-news-story.aspx?storyid=201101051248dowjonesdjonline000360&title=dupont-wades-into-drought-tolerant-cornannounces-new-seed
Reuters: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE7043JK20110105
(2) http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/12/21/873577/drought-tough-corn-seed-races.html#ixzz19bnyr2KL
(3) Farmers cope with Roundup-resistant weeds. New York Times. 3rd May 2010. On: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/04/business/energy-environment/04weed.html
(4) Bioscience for Life? GeneWatch UK Report 2010. On: http://www.genewatch.org/uploads/f03c6d66a9b354535738483c1c3d49e4/Bioscience_for_life.pdf