Is the country prepared for genetically modified corn?

摘要

By this time, no one can dispute, that the Bt corn variety has made corn bugs packing for other greener pastures. During a press presentation, Dr. Arnold Estrada, Monsanto Philippines product development officer, showed how YieldGard, a geneticallyengineered corn variety, differed from its "regular" cousins. He showed an ear of a conventional corn stalk that was hit by a corn,borer, pointing to its leaves where several eggs were attached. "Soon, these eggs will turn into larva and will begin feeding on these leaves. These tiny caterpillars can cripple a crop by tunneling into the shaft of the plant or to the corn ear," described Estrada. A corn borer-infested crop may also attract other diseases including a fungus that can turn the kernels blackand blighted. Then Estrada showed a YieldGard ear. The kernels on the cob were in serial perfection. "The tips of the kernels are nice and clean. No inlets for disease to get in," he said. "Of course, you can make this happen with the other variety. Thatis, if you spray and spray."