August 6, 2008

 

GM rice may lead to low fertilizer GM corn and salt tolerant crops 

   
   
GM rice varieties developed for China could one day give rise to GM corn that would require two-thirds less fertilizer than current varieties.


Arcadia Biosciences, a US company specialising in developing GM crops is marketing the nitrogen-efficient crops, working with Chinese rice growers and Australian wheat growers and is working to develop the new nitrogen efficiency in corn. In addition, Arcadia has already signed a licensing agreement with the Maharashtra Seed Company in India.


Eric Rey, the company's CEO, in an interview with Biofutur, said that the company is marketing nitrogen efficient rice to Chinese farmers because typically two-thirds of the fertilizer spread on rice is not absorbed. The company's rice varieties would thus help Chinese farmers to save on fertilizer and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.


In fact, the company has signed an agreement with the government of Ningxia in China to work out a "Carbon Credit" Methodology applicable to rice cultivation. Agriculture is the fourth most polluting industry in the world, according to the company.


China's scientists are also working feverishly to develop GM rice varieties in order to fulfill Beijing's mandate of grain self-sufficiency. In fact, the country's scientists have developed GM tomatoes which would last longer in transit and papayas that are resistant to ringworms.


However, what Rey is excited about is the potential to develop salt tolerant crops which can be grown in lands taken out of production because of salinity issues. The crops would contain salt in their non-biologically active vacuoles and can be fed to cattle. Cattle on such feed would not have to be fed with salt.


However, such seeds are still six to seven years away, Rey said in an interview with the International Herald Tribune in March.

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