[permaculture] [Fwd: Nonchemical Way to Control Mosquitoes]
Cecile Mills
seaseal at got.net
Thu Dec 20 19:30:38 EST 2007
Dear Lawrence,
That's one of the scariest articles I've seen since the one about much
of Mexico's 150 species of corn being wiped out by GMO corn pollen that
rendered them all sterile.
What is to prevent this DNA from getting loose through a mosquito bite
and into us? Or other warm blooded animals?
Cecile
Proposal Writer
Watsonville Farmers Market
seaseal at got.net
On Dec 20, 2007, at 2:49 PM, Lawrence F. London, Jr. wrote:
> -------- Original Message --------
> Subject: Nonchemical Way to Control Mosquitoes
> Date: Thu, 20 Dec 2007 09:37:57 -0500
> From: ARS News Service <NewsService at ars.usda.gov>
> Reply-To: ARS News Service <NewsService at ars.usda.gov>
> To: ARS News subscriber <lflj at bellsouth.net>
>
> STORY LEAD:
> New Nonchemical Approach to Curbing Mosquitoes
> ___________________________________________
>
> ARS News Service
> Agricultural Research Service, USDA
> Sharon Durham, (301) 504-1611, sharon.durham at ars.usda.gov
> December 20, 2007
> --View this report online, plus photos and related stories, at
> www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr
> ___________________________________________
>
> Most pesticides are toxic to insects and humans alike, but a molecular
> pesticide developed by Agricultural Research
> Service (ARS) scientists may provide a new way to deal with mosquito
> pests without causing a risk to human health.
>
> The molecular pesticide technology would also overcome the mosquito's
> ability to develop resistance to particular
> pesticides. A molecular pesticide has nucleic acid, such as DNA or
> RNA, as its active ingredient. The technology also
> has potential to be used against other insect pests.
>
> The technology was developed by ARS entomologists Julia W. Pridgeon
> and James J. Becnel, in the ARS Mosquito and Fly
> Research Unit, Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary
> Entomology, Gainesville, Fla. Their technology prevents
> mosquitoes from producing essential proteins necessary for their
> survival. Although other approaches to nonchemical pest
> control are being pursued, this ARS invention has certain advantages.
>
> The molecular pesticide concept allows scientists to design each
> pesticide specifically for the targeted individual pest
> species. It interrupts genes essential for insect survival, causing
> the insect to die. This recently discovered
> technology maximizes safety and minimizes environmental impact on
> beneficial insects.
>
> In addition, molecular pesticides should be effective against pest
> species that are resistant to conventional chemical
> pesticides. Chemical pesticides often have an impact on the
> physiological systems shared by humans, but this new method
> only targets specific genes of the pest species. Molecular pesticides
> can also be easily administered--by contacting the
> insect externally.
>
> This technology would also reduce the time and costs associated with
> obtaining regulatory approval of new products and
> would also serve as a model system for developing novel insecticides.
> Successful development and transfer of molecular
> pesticides could represent a quantum leap in developing new toxicants
> for pest control.
>
> A patent application for this technology has been submitted and ARS is
> seeking a cooperative research and development
> partner to develop appropriate formulations that can be marketed and
> sold commercially. This research was partially
> funded by the Deployed War-Fighter Protection Research Program funded
> from the U.S. Department of Defense.
>
> ARS is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's chief scientific research
> agency.
>
> ___________________________________________
>
> This is one of the news reports that ARS Information distributes to
> subscribers on weekdays. Send feedback and questions
> to the ARS News Service at NewsService at ars.usda.gov.
>
> * You are subscribed to "ARS News" as lflj at bellsouth.net.
> * To change the address, please notify the ARS News Service at
> NewsService at ars.usda.gov.
> * To unsubscribe, send a blank email to
> leave-139273-39272K at ls.ars.usda.gov.
> * Other ARS news products are available by e-mail. For details about
> them or to subscribe, please contact the ARS News
> Service or visit http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/lists.htm.
> __________________________________________
> ARS News Service, Information Staff, Agricultural Research Service
> 5601 Sunnyside Ave., Room 1-2251, Beltsville MD 20705-5128
> NewsService at ars.usda.gov | www.ars.usda.gov/news
> Phone (301) 504-1636 | fax (301) 504-1486
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> permaculture mailing list
> permaculture at lists.ibiblio.org
> Subscribe or unsubscribe here:
> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/permaculture
> Google command to search archives:
> site:http://lists.ibiblio.org/pipermail/permaculture searchstring
>
>
More information about the permaculture
mailing list