The rapid emergence of genetic modification in world agriculture: contested risks and benefits

2001 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 248-262 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jules Pretty
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Modification ◽  
Genetically Modified Organisms ◽  
Genetically Modified ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Scientific Progress ◽  
Genetically Modified Crops ◽  
Rapid Expansion ◽  
Marker Genes ◽  
Scientific Application ◽  
Independent Field

There has been a rapid expansion in the commercial cultivation of genetically modified crops, rising from the first plantings in 1995 to 44.5 million hectares worldwide in 2000, most of which have grown in North America. Though there are sharp divisions in opinions on benefits and risk, genetic modification (GM) does not represent a single, homogenous technology. Each application brings different potential benefits and risks for different stakeholders. This paper reviews recent scientific progress and future applications using a new typology of three generations of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) ranged against five types of scientific application. Agricultural GMOs pose a range of potential environmental and health risks. An analysis of recent independent field and scientific evidence from industrialized countries summarizes the current state of knowledge on seven types of risk that apply to all agricultural systems: (1) horizontal gene flow; (2) new forms of resistance and pest problems; (3) recombination to produce new pathogens; (4) direct and indirect effects of novel toxins; (5) loss of biodiversity from changes to farm practices; (6) allergenic and immune system reactions; and (7) antibiotic resistance marker genes. There remain highly contrasting positions taken by different stakeholders over GMOs. A review of three debates explains claims and counter-claims for (1) genetic modification as technological fix or contributor to sustainability; (2) genetic modification as driver of corporate power or friend of farmer; and (3) genetic modification as feeder of the world or eliminator of alternatives.

scholarly journals Investigating Novice and Expert Conceptions of Genetically Modified Organisms

2017 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. ar52 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa M. Potter ◽  
Sarah A. Bissonnette ◽  
Jonathan D. Knight ◽  
Kimberly D. Tanner
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Modification ◽  
Real World ◽  
Genetically Modified Organisms ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Genetically Modified ◽  
Biology Education ◽  
Undergraduate Biology ◽  
Biology Students ◽  
Molecular Behavior ◽  
Biology Majors

The aspiration of biology education is to give students tools to apply knowledge learned in the classroom to everyday life. Genetic modification is a real-world biological concept that relies on an in-depth understanding of the molecular behavior of DNA and proteins. This study investigated undergraduate biology students’ conceptions of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) when probed with real-world, molecular and cellular, and essentialist cues, and how those conceptions compared across biology expertise. We developed a novel written assessment tool and administered it to 120 non–biology majors, 154 entering biology majors, 120 advanced biology majors (ABM), and nine biology faculty. Results indicated that undergraduate biology majors rarely included molecular and cellular rationales in their initial explanations of GMOs. Despite ABM demonstrating that they have much of the biology knowledge necessary to understand genetic modification, they did not appear to apply this knowledge to explaining GMOs. Further, this study showed that all undergraduate student populations exhibited evidence of essentialist thinking while explaining GMOs, regardless of their level of biology training. Finally, our results suggest an association between scientifically accurate ideas and the application of molecular and cellular rationales, as well as an association between misconceptions and essentialist rationales.

scholarly journals An Overview of Near Infrared Spectroscopy and Its Applications in the Detection of Genetically Modified Organisms

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (18) ◽  
pp. 9940
Author(s):  
Soo-In Sohn ◽  
Subramani Pandian ◽  
Young-Ju Oh ◽  
John-Lewis Zinia Zaukuu ◽  
Hyeon-Jung Kang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Infrared Spectroscopy ◽  
Near Infrared Spectroscopy ◽  
Food Systems ◽  
Near Infrared ◽  
Genetically Modified Organisms ◽  
Genetically Modified ◽  
Genetically Modified Crops ◽  
Non Invasive ◽  
Agriculture And Food ◽  
Non Destructive

Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) has become a more popular approach for quantitative and qualitative analysis of feeds, foods and medicine in conjunction with an arsenal of chemometric tools. This was the foundation for the increased importance of NIRS in other fields, like genetics and transgenic monitoring. A considerable number of studies have utilized NIRS for the effective identification and discrimination of plants and foods, especially for the identification of genetically modified crops. Few previous reviews have elaborated on the applications of NIRS in agriculture and food, but there is no comprehensive review that compares the use of NIRS in the detection of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). This is particularly important because, in comparison to previous technologies such as PCR and ELISA, NIRS offers several advantages, such as speed (eliminating time-consuming procedures), non-destructive/non-invasive analysis, and is inexpensive in terms of cost and maintenance. More importantly, this technique has the potential to measure multiple quality components in GMOs with reliable accuracy. In this review, we brief about the fundamentals and versatile applications of NIRS for the effective identification of GMOs in the agricultural and food systems.

Farmers prevailing perception profiles regarding GM crops: A classification proposal

2018 ◽  
Vol 27 (8) ◽  
pp. 952-966 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carla Almeida ◽  
Luisa Massarani
Keyword(s):  
Comparative Analysis ◽  
Genetically Modified Organisms ◽  
Genetically Modified ◽  
Genetically Modified Crops ◽  
Stakeholder Group ◽  
Gm Crops ◽  
Genetically Modified Food ◽  
Public Controversy ◽  
Complex Variety

Genetically modified organisms have been at the centre of a major public controversy, involving different interests and actors. While much attention has been devoted to consumer views on genetically modified food, there have been few attempts to understand the perceptions of genetically modified technology among farmers. By investigating perceptions of genetically modified organisms among Brazilian farmers, we intend to contribute towards filling this gap and thereby add the views of this stakeholder group to the genetically modified debate. A comparative analysis of our data and data from other studies indicate there is a complex variety of views on genetically modified organisms among farmers. Despite this diversity, we found variations in such views occur within limited parameters, concerned principally with expectations or concrete experiences regarding the advantages of genetically modified crops, perceptions of risks associated with them, and ethical questions they raise. We then propose a classification of prevailing profiles to represent the spectrum of perceptions of genetically modified organisms among farmers.

Genetic modification and its impact on industry structure and performance: post-harvest deterioration of cassava in Thailand

2007 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 133-142 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Vlaar ◽  
Paul van Beek ◽  
Richard Visser
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Modification ◽  
Genetically Modified ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Seasonal Fluctuation ◽  
Post Harvest ◽  
Processing Plants ◽  
Post Harvest Deterioration ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Starch Industry

Genetic modification has led to fierce debates around the world. Nevertheless, scientific evidence for its potential effects on the structure and performance of industries has hitherto remained rather meagre. In this article, we take some preliminary steps towards closing this gap by exploring the effects of the introduction of a genetically modified cassava variety on the structure and efficiency of the starch industry in Thailand. Currently, producers of cassava starch are confronted with a problem called post-harvest deterioration, which reduces the quantity and quality of starch in cassava roots within 24 to 48 hours after harvesting, leading to lower payments for farmers and lower starch recovery rates for factories. In addition, post-harvest deterioration prohibits factory owners to hold large stocks of fresh cassava. Combined with a strong seasonal fluctuation of supply, this leads to a low utilisation of installed processing capacities at the starch factories. In this article, we examine how the structure and performance of the Thai starch industry would change in case a genetically modified cassava variety would be introduced that no longer suffers from post-harvest deterioration. After having interviewed 19 stakeholders in this industry, we developed two simple linear programming models to examine the optimal locations, capacity classes and utilisation percentages for starch processing plants in the Northeast of Thailand. Our findings demonstrate that an extension of the storability of cassava to 45 days will not only diminish the number of factories needed, but it will also cause most large-sized factories to be replaced with medium-sized plants. Moreover, introducing a new cassava variety with such properties is estimated to render benefits of approximately US $ 35 million for Thai cassava farmers and factory owners.

scholarly journals Commercialisation of genetically modified crops in New Zealand

1999 ◽  
pp. 117-119
Author(s):  
M.J. Willocks
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Return On Investment ◽  
Genetically Modified Organisms ◽  
Genetically Modified ◽  
Genetically Modified Crops ◽  
Market Analysis ◽  
Regulatory Requirements ◽  
Product Stewardship ◽  
New Challenges ◽  
The Cost

Commercialisation of genetically modified organisms creates new challenges for marketers and developers of this technology. The cost of development is high, and the need to gain a return on investment that reflects this cost is critical to ensure that this technology is brought to New Zealand agriculture. A further challenge is that the regulatory requirements differ from those required for non-transgenic crops. Once introduced into the market, it is important to develop a product stewardship programme to ensure continued trait performance and prevent factors arising that will negate the value of these traits such as pest resistance. Keywords: genetically modified organisms, market analysis, product stewardship, regulatory process, return on investment

scholarly journals Status and prospects of gene editing and transgenic in fishes

2019 ◽  
Vol 79 (01S) ◽  
Author(s):  
H. K. Barman ◽  
Kiran D. Rasal ◽  
Subhajit Mondal
Keyword(s):  
Cell Lines ◽  
Gene Editing ◽  
Genetically Modified Organisms ◽  
Genetically Modified ◽  
Scientific Progress ◽  
Gene Expressions ◽  
Important Species ◽  
Myostatin Gene ◽  
Functional Relationships ◽  
Gene Integration

Recent advances in high throughout DNA sequencing technologies have revolutionized for better understanding of structure-functional relationships of genes in identifying trait-associated transcriptomes and their regulated gene expressions. Subsequent breakthroughs in gene editing technologies such as zinc finger nucleases, transcriptional activator-like effect or nucleases (TALEN) and CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats) determined chromosomal loci so as to understand gene functions in vivo. Such editing technologies are now being implemented in many laboratories due to an affordable cost and easiness of techniques. Targeted gene delivery and disruptions are now not only restricted to standard cell lines or stem cells, but also primary cell lines and nonmodel agriculturally important species. Progress and implications of gene integration and disruptions in food fishes like salmon, carps, etc. will be highlighted. The positive impacts on myostatin gene (negative growth hormone regulator) disruption mediated muscular growth have been documented. Transposon mediated gene integration technologies for value-additions to small indigenous aquarium fishes by expressing attractive fluorescent color genes could be the future of rainbow revolution. Issues linked with further-tuning with regards to improved efficacy and specificity, while reducing offtarget effects of gene editing tools will be addressed. There are health and environmental concerns with genetically modified organisms (GMOs). CRISPR/Cas9 mediated editing generates indels and hence supposed to be free from transgene-nontoxic and non-allergen. Scientific progress regarding to generate genetically modified carps; those could well be cultivated in a confinement and at the same time economically profitable; will be highlighted. Emphasis should be given for transfer these technologies from the laboratory to land for the development of a consumer-friendly sustainable farming system.

scholarly journals Misinformation and disinformation in science: Examining the social diffusion of rumours about GMOs

2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 327-340
Author(s):  
Sujia Jiang ◽  
Wei Fang
Keyword(s):  
New Media ◽  
Genetic Modification ◽  
Genetically Modified Organisms ◽  
Genetically Modified ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Social ◽  
Considerable Controversy ◽  
Media Platform ◽  
The Government ◽  
And Diffusion

Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) have caused considerable controversy in China in recent years. Uncertainty about the technology, ineffective channels for releasing official information and a lack of sufficient public trust in the government and scientists have led to rampant rumours about genetic modification technology, making it hard for the public to acquire scientific knowledge about it and a rational attitude towards it. In this paper, by using as an example the rumour that genetically modified (GM) soybeans cause cancer, we discuss the content and diffusion of rumours related to genetic modification technology in the new media environment. Based on an analysis of content on the social media platform Weibo one week after the rumour began, we discovered that the ensuing cyber discussions reflected reality, that netizens expressed anxiety and panic while stressing social injustice and reflecting conflict between social classes, and that they exhibited little trust in scientists and the government. On the mechanism of diffusion of rumours on Weibo, we observed that ‘evidence’ that directly or indirectly purported to show that GM soybeans cause cancer was added to the rumours and that the rumours were ‘assimilated’ into people's perception through the stigmatization of GMOs and through conspiracy theories.

scholarly journals Research into Genetically Modified Organisms in New Zealand: An Examination of a Sociotechnical Controversy

2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Sarah Edwards
Keyword(s):  
Risk Management ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Genetic Modification ◽  
Genetically Modified Organisms ◽  
Genetically Modified ◽  
Management Policy ◽  
Research Practices ◽  
Public Controversy ◽  
The World ◽  
Future Risk

New Zealand is known around the world as a country that is clean, green and “100% Pure.” The existence of genetically modified organisms in New Zealand is generally viewed as inconsistent with this identity, and there is therefore considerable public controversy surrounding research that utilises genetic modification techniques. In this paper, I examine the variety of interacting factors that are serving to shape this controversy, the influence it is having on research practices, and the implications for future risk management policy.

Islam and Science

2021 ◽  
pp. 205-224
Author(s):  
Mohammad Hashim Kamali
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Impacts ◽  
Scientific Knowledge ◽  
Genetically Modified Organisms ◽  
Genetically Modified ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Divine Revelation ◽  
Basic Premise ◽  
Human Reason ◽  
Meat Eating ◽  
Dietary Restrictions

This chapter explores the basic compatibility or otherwise of Islam with science, especially with reference to stunning and halal slaughtering, halal vaccines, genetically modified organisms, and the environmental impacts of meat eating. It addresses the basic premise of these concepts. Halal and haram are not determined by reference only to human reason or scientific knowledge, but by a combination of these and the guidance mainly of divine revelation (wahy). Worship matters (‘ibadat) are normally determined by the shariah independently of scientific evidence, and this could also be said of a limited number of dietary restrictions Islam has imposed—even though there may be some scientific justification for them. Still, Islam is on the whole receptive to scientific evidence.

A precautionary approach to genetic modification

2002 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Lubbock ◽  
Andrew Coop
Keyword(s):  
Precautionary Principle ◽  
Genetic Modification ◽  
Genetically Modified Organisms ◽  
Genetically Modified ◽  
Legal Regime ◽  
Precautionary Approach ◽  
The Precautionary Principle ◽  
Deliberate Release

Presents a study that discussed the development of a new legal regime for the deliberate release of genetically modified organisms (GMO) into the European environment, as of January 2002. Information on the Precautionary Principle requirement of the existing regime; Assessment of the possible effect of the Precautionary Principle on decisions about GMO releases; Implications for the expectations of consumers regarding genetically modified products.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document