There are some environmental concerns resulting from the application of GM crops. Some claimed that the results showed that GM crops had a significant negative impact on environmental, esp, wildlife. On the other hand, others points out that the studies showed that using herbicide resistant allowed better weed control and have a positive impact on environmental.
Unintended harm to other organisms
Last year a laboratory study was published in Nature showing that pollen from B.t. corn caused high mortality rates in monarch butterfly caterpillars. Unfortunately, B.t. toxins kill many species of insect larvae indiscriminately. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other non-government research groups, and preliminary data from new studies suggest that the original study may have been flawed. Currently, there is no agreement about the results of these studies, and the potential risk of harm to non-target organisms will need to be evaluated further.
Reduced effectiveness of pesticides
Just as some populations of mosquitoes developed resistance to the now-banned pesticide DDT, many people are concerned that insects will become resistant to B.t. or other crops that have been genetically-modified to produce their own pesticides.
Gene transfer to non-target species
Another concern is that crop plants engineered for herbicide tolerance and weeds will cross-breed, resulting in the transfer of the herbicide resistance genes from the crops into the weeds. These superweeds would then be herbicide tolerant as well. Other introduced genes may cross over into non-modified crops planted next to GM crops. More investigation is needed to resolve this issue.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetically_modified_food_controversies
http://www.csa.com/discoveryguides/gmfood/overview.php
Unintended harm to other organisms
Last year a laboratory study was published in Nature showing that pollen from B.t. corn caused high mortality rates in monarch butterfly caterpillars. Unfortunately, B.t. toxins kill many species of insect larvae indiscriminately. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other non-government research groups, and preliminary data from new studies suggest that the original study may have been flawed. Currently, there is no agreement about the results of these studies, and the potential risk of harm to non-target organisms will need to be evaluated further.
Reduced effectiveness of pesticides
Just as some populations of mosquitoes developed resistance to the now-banned pesticide DDT, many people are concerned that insects will become resistant to B.t. or other crops that have been genetically-modified to produce their own pesticides.
Gene transfer to non-target species
Another concern is that crop plants engineered for herbicide tolerance and weeds will cross-breed, resulting in the transfer of the herbicide resistance genes from the crops into the weeds. These superweeds would then be herbicide tolerant as well. Other introduced genes may cross over into non-modified crops planted next to GM crops. More investigation is needed to resolve this issue.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetically_modified_food_controversies
http://www.csa.com/discoveryguides/gmfood/overview.php
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