Wednesday, July 27, 2005

GM crops created superweed, say scientists

GM crops created superweed, say scientists

From the UK, of course. Think the people against genetically modified crops are paranoid? Check it out:

"Modified genes from crops in a GM crop trial have transferred into local wild plants, creating a form of herbicide-resistant 'superweed', the Guardian can reveal.

The cross-fertilisation between GM oilseed rape, a brassica, and a distantly related plant, charlock, had been discounted as virtually impossible by scientists with the environment department. It was found during a follow up to the government's three-year trials of GM crops which ended two years ago.

The new form of charlock was growing among many others in a field which had been used to grow GM rape. When scientists treated it with lethal herbicide it showed no ill-effects."


Vaugely related aside: There's no such thing as "canola," it's a marketing term created because people didn't want to buy rape seed oil.

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