permaculture

[Jay Woods <woodsjaya@gmail.com>]

It looks like the Ga1(s) gene will cause trouble with the popcorn growers.


On Fri, Jul 18, 2014 at 12:20 PM, George Anna Clark <esac@laneta.apc.org>
wrote:

> Link to the article (and read below):
> http://www.ofrf.org/blogs/breeding-%E2%80%9Corganic-
> ready%E2%80%9D-corn?utm_source=OFRF&utm_campaign=eb4fffcc9b-July_2014_
> eNewsletter7_16_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_
> 194828b0e1-eb4fffcc9b-22271993
>
> DIRECT link to video:
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGTd3MsAl1g
>
> Enjoy!
> George Anna
> Tehuixtla, Morelos Mexico
>
> Breeding "Organic Ready" Corn with Gametophytic Incompatibility
>
> Amidst the controversy over transgene (GMO) contamination---a growing
> concern for organic farmers, researchers, consumers, and advocates---plant
> breeder Frank Kutka has been working to develop an "organic ready" line of
> corn that will maintain its non-GMO integrity. Corn is one of the top three
> genetically modified crops, alongside cotton and soy. In 2014, 89 percent
> of the corn acreage in the U.S. is planted in herbicide-tolerant transgenic
> corn.
> Kutka has just started his fourth year of an OFRF/Seed Matters <
> http://www.seedmatters.org/clif-bar-family-foundations-
> seed-matters-initiative-grants-nations-first-organic-
> plant-breeding-fellowships/>-funded research project, /Developing
> "Organic-Ready" Maize Populations with Gametophytic Incompatibility <
> http://www.ofrf.org/research/grants/developing-organic-
> ready-maize-populations-gametophytic-incompatibility-year-iv>/. Corn is
> wind pollinated and readily crosses with other varieties. However, this
> breeding work uses naturally occurring genes derived from popcorns and the
> ancient grain teosinte that create a screen against crossing with
> transgenic, or genetically modified (GMO) corn.
>
> Kutka coined the term "Organic Ready" to describe this corn that can
> better maintain its organic integrity with these genes. Corn is an
> important crop that grows well across the country and is very productive
> and profitable. "It is a strong crop, excellent in crop rotations, where it
> is good to have a tall competitive plant," Kutka says. "But it is
> absolutely susceptible to outcrossing with transgenic corn, due to the
> nature of its reproductive process, and the fact that pollen can travel for
> miles and land in any field."
> GMOs are prohibited in organic production <http://www.ofrf.org/blogs/
> abcs-gmos> under the USDA National Organic Program, making /organic/ the
> original and best GMO-free label, but there are no regulations in place to
> protect farmers against accidental contamination from the pollen of
> transgenic corn. This is a widespread problem for every organic corn farmer
> who has GMO corn growing within a few miles, which includes farmers across
> the Midwest and most other places corn is grown. As organic farmers have
> learned, they can have the right seed, do everything right, and still have
> contamination of their crop. A recent survey <http://documents.
> foodandwaterwatch.org/doc/GMO_contamination.pdf#_ga=1.
> 195481388.1884210767.1405442731> of organic farmers from 17 states,
> predominantly in the Midwest, shows 67 percent planned to delay planting
> corn this year so their crops pollinate later than their neighbors' GMO
> corn (one method farmers are using to prevent contamination), at an average
> cost of $16,000. This is not sustainable. It is important for farmers
> economically and agriculturally to have the right tools to maintain organic
> integrity for their customers, and this exciting research promises to
> provide a powerful addition to the toolbox.
> Kutka points out that the idea of using these genes to prevent unwanted
> cross-pollination is not new, and there are others exploring these
> applications. The traits have been used for years to grow popcorn in the
> corn belt. "It's an extremely obvious idea," he says. "I read Mutants of
> Maize <http://www.amazon.com/Mutants-Maize-M-Gerald-Neuffer/dp/0879694440>,
> and saw a description of this trait. I thought, 'It works for popcorn, and
> could be handy to keep transgenes out of organic.'"
> Breeding work takes time, but early releases of open pollinated (OP)
> "Organic Ready" corn could be available later this year, with work
> continuing on back crossing and release of more populations and lines in
> 2015 and beyond. Seed of the resulting lines and populations will be
> released to the public along with short publications in the Maize Genetics
> Cooperation Newsletter <http://mnl.maizegdb.org/> in order to prevent
> their being patented, a situation that has already occurred, and which
> Kutka opposes. He says, "These seed releases are to encourage others to
> work with this trait and for organic farmers to grow as they wish."
> We'll keep you posted!
> /About the researcher:/
> Frank Kutka has a Ph.D. in plant breeding and has been working on this
> project since 2001. In addition to this project, he serves as a coordinator
> for the Northern Plains Sustainable Agriculture Society Farm Breeding Club
> and has coordinated the USDA Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education
> (SARE) program in North and South Dakota. He works with organic corn
> breeders across the country to gain advice and knowledge, citing Walter
> Goldstein at the Michael Fields Agricultural Institute and Major Goodman at
> North Carolina State University, among others.
> Want to learn more? /Watch Frank Kutka explain the project <
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGTd3MsAl1g>/, and read these articles:
> "Release of populations carrying Ga1s <http://www.agron.missouri.
> edu/mnl/84/PDF/20kutka.pdf>"
> "Using Ga2s to limit undesirable fertilization in commercial organic maize
> <http://www.agron.missouri.edu/mnl/86/pdf/07kutka.pdf>"
>
>
>
> ---
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