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Re: Natural seeds become sterile?

Hi Don,
I think three assumptions are being made here, none of which are ruled out
by the article.

 One is that there will be widespread use of the technology by the seed
companies, so that mutated versions of many plants become commonplace. This
is after all the stated intention of the USDA. 
(My gut feeling is that they won't succeed. Attempts to grow geneticly
altered sugar beet here in Ireland have met with huge resistance, if I
remember correctly not all of it legally expressed. Think I read of a crop
being burned. I think that resistance is similar to the wisdom which
prevails  regarding human cloning, possible yes;  but who'd want to touch
it with a barge-pole ?) 

The second is that the implanted gene is transferable through
cross-pollination. (It may of course be that the implanted gene does not
pass on, if fact one presumes this to be the case, otherwise we'd be
talking about opening pandora's box; and secondly the seed companies would
have no guarantee their own sources would not be affected, thus shooting
themselves and the world in the foot.) 

The third is that the gene proves to be a dominant one. 
(If it is then any cross-pollination will result in progeny which is
sterile. Even if it is a recessive gene then a percentage is bound to be.) 

All in all more info needed I'd say. Has anyone come across other
references to this ? I would have thought it should be in the European
papers but haven't seen anything about it here. 

What intrigues me as much as any such doomsday scenario is the motivation
behind this. )-: Quote: "The USDA wants the technology to be "widely
licensed and made expeditiously available to many seed companies," says 
Phelps. The goal is "to increase the value of proprietary seed owned by US
seed companies and to open up new markets in Second and Third World
countries." I find myself wondering whether third world countries need
increased market-driven western interference with their food production.
Can't help feeling the thing smacks of selling powdered milk to African
mothers; providing loans for hydro-electric dams which effectively bleed
countries cash-dry; and other ill-conceived schemes; as I can't see what
would the benefit to the countries concerned would be.

Mark
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