Enjeux - GMOs, a stormy debate Enjeux - GMOs, a stormy debate

PROGRESS REPORT

Crop protection

Initial GMO research focused on the production of therapeutic substances like insulin and treatments for cystic fibrosis. While the interest of using GMOs in drug production is easy to understand, it is harder to grasp in the development of insect-resistant plants or herbicides. The first GM varieties strengthened plant resistance to pests and parasites. The main advantage touted at the time was that they reduced the number of crop protection treatments in fields. Moth-resistant GM corn, for example, eliminates the need to use foliar insecticide, while the cultivation of varieties of herbicide-resistant beets in the USA has enabled farmers there to reduce herbicide treatments from four to five times a year to once or twice.     

A vast range of possibilities

Work has also begun on creating GM varieties that are resistant to disease and viruses, and to drought, salinity and cold. Teams are working to improve crops by enhancing the way plants absorb fertilisers. It is also possible to “stack” a single variety with several resistances.
Breeders are also looking to increase the starch, protein and vitamin content of plants. With potatoes, for example, scientists are trying to alter the proportion of different starches in the tubers to reduce the amount of oil absorbed by French fries in the cooking process.

Other work in progress

Researchers have started work on programmes aimed at enhancing the way animals absorb plant proteins. They hope to reduce the quantity of protein-rich plants used to make one kilo of meat and thus respond to growing food needs in the coming years. Other work in progress concerns the improvement of wood pulp production. The goal is to significantly reduce the wooded area needed to produce the same amount of paper.

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REGULATION

Experimenting, cultivating, importing and selling GMOs in Europe is subject to stringent regulation. The same applies to industrial groups that include GM varieties in food products.

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Of total worldwide land devoted to GMOs in 2007, 63% concerned herbicide tolerance, 18% insect resistance and 19% both of the above.

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