" GM " Potato trials!

**Alison** · 08-06-2010, 11:19 AM

I don't like GM and would avoid growing such varieties for reasons I have given in the past. I also wouldn't be happy about GM trials happening in my area but will keep this short as I don't want to starting ranting and I'm pretty close to it

**Nicos** · 08-06-2010, 11:23 AM

Thank goodness we don't need to be the slightest bit worried about 'human error'

BBC News - Banned GM maize sown in Germany

**Flummery** · 08-06-2010, 11:25 AM

I can't see why plant breeders these days are incapable of breeding plants in the old way.

**Jeanied** · 08-06-2010, 11:30 AM

I think they are just too lazy, Flum. If they can do it in a lab with a few lowly paid technicians they are happy.
When will they ever learn that science is not a substitute for nature?

**pdblake** · 08-06-2010, 11:31 AM

What is the difference between selective breeding and genetically modifying? As far as I can see they both achieve the same result in the end, a cross bred plant.

There is also the benefit that fungicides won't be needed, or less of them anyway.

Just what is the problem with them? (Not arguing with anyone, just want to know.)

**Two_Sheds** · 08-06-2010, 11:57 AM

selective breeding means taking the best characteristics from two (or more) closely related plants and breeding from them.

GM means splicing genes together from totally unrelated things, eg fish genes put into tomatoes. Read more here

**Flummery** · 08-06-2010, 12:03 PM

There was an instance of a GM tomato launched in the US called Flavr Savr - it was supposed to keep for yonks in the fridge and was heralded as the great new thing. The story is told in Carol Deppe's book "Breed your own vegetable varieties". She waited eagerly to see what they were like and bought two when they came available in her local supermarket. When she got them home, she spat the first slice out - it tasted of petrol. The process of putting in a gene (from lord know where) to extend shelf life had resulted in a just about inedible tomato (but it stayed inedible for months!)

The old breeding methods take longer - but you can at least ensure the thing tastes half decent.

**Guttata** · 08-06-2010, 12:26 PM

Not necessarily TS. GM can also be about doing it with related varieties. Ofcourse scientists will see how far they can push it, always do, but it does not mean that is all that will be done.

On the point of spuds I am not really sure how bothered to be. It depends on how easy it would be for them to contaminate other crops pollen wise.

**Two_Sheds** · 08-06-2010, 12:29 PM

Originally posted by Guttata View Post

Not necessarily TS. GM can also be about doing it with related varieties.

Yep, that's what they've done with the spuds: Prof Jones said: �We've taken ...blight resistant genes from wild relatives of potato. We're going to put them into the field to see if they're still resistant.�

**pdblake** · 08-06-2010, 12:42 PM

I noted that the BBC report said that they had basically crossed a desiree with some South American inedible thingy. I think they also need to see if the things are still edible too

TS that link is quite interesting, I'll read it all later, but I see that some GM foods are also pesticides in and of themselves. Really not sure I like the idea of that at all.

**chris** · 08-06-2010, 01:59 PM

And what relatives are these?

**Brengirl** · 08-06-2010, 02:21 PM

Is GM another word for ethnic cleansing?

**BigShot** · 09-06-2010, 12:26 AM

With great effort to remain rant-free:

Related or not GM has nothing in common with selective breeding and no matter how closely related the genetic donor species are it is as risky as it is unnecessary.

Selectively bred Sarpo varieties are incredibly blight resistant - so much so that in at least one trial the halums stood for 3 months while infected with blight, and gave a good crop while others were completely destroyed.
PSarpo, the most blight resistant spuds available! | Grow Organic Food for a bit about Sarpo.

GM isn't meant to help feed people or any other noble pursuit. It's patent-protected ownership of food itself.

PDBlake - I can't find a reference right now, but where GMO are sown (especially "roundup ready" varieties) the usual result is that more chemical controls are used. Not specifically relevant to spuds but it might hint where the GM path leads.

**rana** · 09-06-2010, 06:16 AM

I agree with BigShot. The Sarpo series of potatoes are very blight resistant. I have grown these to maturity alongside regular varieties which have been completely destroyed by blight. In the case of potatoes it seems the GM is for GM's sake.

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