Britain Begins GM Potato Trial

NORFOLK, England — Field trials have begun for a genetically modified (GM) variety of potato resistant to “late blight,” carried out by The Sainsbury Laboratory (TSL) scientists and funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), reports the BBC. The trial, which will be conducted on a 1,000-square-metre plot in Norfolk, is expected to last three years.

Late blight is caused by the pathogen Phytophthora infestans and causes up to $5 billion annually in global crop losses.

Advertisement

Jonathan Jones, senior scientist, TSL, said genes taken from two different wild potato species were used to develop a GM Desiree variety, conferring the ability to recognize strains of the blight pathogen. TSL expects a successful GM potato to drastically reduce fungicide use on potato crops.

Initial results from the field trial are expected to be published by the end of the year.
 

Top Articles
ADAMA Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2023 Results

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Avatar for Anonymous Anonymous says:

It is interesting. But, the recently distributed CIP elite materials ned only one Ridomil spray after a month of planting which really helps to arrest the Phytophthora fungus. Dramatic yield was obtained in Ethiopia and changed the livelihood of the poor farmers. as a result our potato team and CIP were awarded recognition of merit. I was the one who handed the CIP award to Dr. Pamela Anderson during the potato year program at Cusco, Peru. Is it not better to go for such materials rather than entering to this controversial agenda. If not we have to be 100% sure about the non side effect of the GM material. Regards.Mesfin T.(Pathologist)

Avatar for Anonymous Anonymous says:

Well the idiots are still at it! Did you hear the twit on The Today programme who sai that 2,4,D was agent orange and that anything GMcould do could already be done by ‘conventional’ techniques?
The trial will produce whatever results it produces but if blight is at lower levels than in the comparison plots then maybe just maybe the twits will admit there is something to this GM science after all!

Avatar for Anonymous Anonymous says:

It is interesting. But, the recently distributed CIP elite materials ned only one Ridomil spray after a month of planting which really helps to arrest the Phytophthora fungus. Dramatic yield was obtained in Ethiopia and changed the livelihood of the poor farmers. as a result our potato team and CIP were awarded recognition of merit. I was the one who handed the CIP award to Dr. Pamela Anderson during the potato year program at Cusco, Peru. Is it not better to go for such materials rather than entering to this controversial agenda. If not we have to be 100% sure about the non side effect of the GM material. Regards.Mesfin T.(Pathologist)

Avatar for Anonymous Anonymous says:

Well the idiots are still at it! Did you hear the twit on The Today programme who sai that 2,4,D was agent orange and that anything GMcould do could already be done by ‘conventional’ techniques?
The trial will produce whatever results it produces but if blight is at lower levels than in the comparison plots then maybe just maybe the twits will admit there is something to this GM science after all!

Hide picture