From: Anders Sandberg (asa@nada.kth.se)
Date: Tue Jun 01 1999 - 11:14:51 MDT
Jonathan Reeves <JonathanR@mail.iclshelpdesks.com> writes:
> Anders Sandberg writes:
>
> > This is really an area where the good side of biotech can be
> > demonstrated. Anybody saying we should not spread genetically modified
> > organisms better explain how to feed 10 billion people sustainably
> > otherwise. There are of course problems with some biotechnologies...
>
> The environmental impact of gm crops is phenomenal, and extreme caution
> should be used in growing them in the wild. The effect of genetically
> modifying crops to withstand disease and insects would be similar to the
> problem of bacteria becoming resistant to penicilin - you simply force
> the thing you're trying to destroy to become stronger.
Not stronger, resistent. Penicilin-resistant strains of bacteria are
at an disadvantage compared to wild strain bacteria in a
penicilin-free environment because they have to produce extra
enzymes. Sure, if everybody is using (say) bacillus thuringensis-based
gm crops, then the evolutionary pressure for resistant pests will be
very high and we can count on them appearing - parasitic relationships
force both parts into a co-evolutionary spiral, and we humans better
be a part of it for the species we like. It is likely better to have
several different forms of pest resistance, so that no single
resistant pest can take out all the plants and the pressure towards
resistance will be weakened. How to promote this diversity economically
is an interesting extropian question.
> At the moment gm crops are not very widely spread but if their use was
> more widespread then it cause tremendous ecological damage. The things
> which eat genetically modified soya will also eat other things - which
> do not have the superior genetically engineered defenses.
As I explained above, this is likely wrong since plant immunology is
more a question about specific defenses and offenses than general
immune defenses forcing pests to become more virulent.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Anders Sandberg Towards Ascension!
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