Re: Terminator Seeds....
Rick Grazzini wrote:
> Would the "terminator" technology eliminate the seed crops that feed the
> world? No. Absolutely not. The land races and improved varieties that are
> currently the basis for food production in most of the LDCs would not be
> changed by the use of this technology. Why am I so sure? The key to the
> technology is that the plants which are to be protected (those that produce
> sterile seeds) must be produced from seed which has been specially treated.
> Without this seed treatment, ALL seed produced is viable.
You misunderstand the technology. If the terminator gene worked as you describe,
there would be no protection at all for Monsanto's investment (and BTW several
European multinationals are also developing this, not just Monsanto).
Here's how it works: a gene that blocks/aborts germination has been spliced into
the crop's gene sequence. This blocker gene must be deactivated by soaking the
seed in a chemical (which Monsanto will be happy to sell you....). A press clip
from last Autumn has Monsanto boasting that they are using a biodegradable
chemical as the activator, out of respect for the environment.
> Can this technology leap from plant to plant, from variety to variety?
> Probably not, at least not at high rates. Viable pollen? Sure.
> Regardless, since the seed has to be specially treated in order to trigger
> the sterilization event in the plant, any seed produced from plants which
> had accidentally picked up the gene (if indeed this ever happens) WOULD
> CONTINUE TO PRODUCE VIABLE SEED.
- with half of its genetic makeup courtesy of Monsanto? Nope - if this were
true, it would be easy to produce hybrids of the improved crop. There would be
precious little protection for Monsanto. There is nothing in all I have read
about an "activation" process. The germination "terminator" must be DEactivated
so that Monsanto's customer can sow seed.
> However, what WOULD occur is that any genetic improvements been bred into
> terminator-protected varieties would be completely unavailable to any
> breeder or farmer who tries to use such a protected variety to produce seed.
How so? If pollen from the field can yield viable seed when bred with a
non-terminator plant, the result is a hybrid containing Monsanto's genetic
know-how.
> This is a very different issue from that usually under discussion. This
> aspect would indeed increase the gap between the haves and have-nots on the
> planet.
Indeed. The one thing nobody's mentioned so far is that Terminator technology
has NOT been used to improve crops. Monsanto and other multinationals are
concentrating on herbicide-resistant strains. Then they sell both seed and
spray.
Here's how it works: Monsanto (or other multinationals) sells "Roundup-ready"
seed to the well-connected large landowners in third world countries. They sow,
then aerial-spray Roundup - whch kills EVERYTHING except the Roundup-ready crops
- including the standard varietites growing in small peasant farmers' fields.
The net effect is to drive subsistence farmers off their land and concentrate
control of the food supply into the hands of a few large landowners. Terminator
technology assures that nobody but favored customers can raise a crop.
> I will respond to posts individually about this topic, but will not post
> anything else back to this propagation forum. These discussions do not
> belong here.
Especially if they're so inaccurate......
> Rick Grazzini
Ben David
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