Insects Find Crack In Biotech Corn's Armor

NPR ^ | December 5, 2011 | Dan Charles

[Rabin]

Hidden in the soil of Illinois and Iowa, a new generation of insect larvae appears to be munching happily on the roots of genetically engineered corn… It's (also) bad news for the biotech company Monsanto, which inserted the larvae-killing gene in the first place. In fact, the gene's apparent failure… may be the most serious threat to a genetically modified crop in the U.S. since farmers first started growing them 15 years ago. The economic impact could be huge.

[Rabin]

Monsanto has a real deal here. If agent yellow works (which it has for quite a while now), they make a bundle. If it starts to fail (which it is now) they make a bundle to fix and remarket. Kinda cool, sorta. Rab

[MIchaelTArchangel]

Wow! This ought to drive the cost of crack down in da hood.

[ClearCase_guy]

That’s a corny joke.

[aviator]

There’s gotta be a kernel of truth here somewhere....

[Moonman62]

Monsanto has a real deal here. If agent yellow works (which it has for quite a while now), they make a bundle. If it starts to fail (which it is now) they make a bundle to fix and remarket.

The Microsoft of agriculture.

[bleach]

Aw shucks, keep the puns coming I’m all ears. I may cob a few for use when the situation pops up. I’ll stalk to you later,

[SaraJohnson]

There is a God and He’s for food freedom!

[E. Pluribus Unum]

What a great idea. Everybody grow the same exact genetic strain of crop, that way when something goes wrong we can have a repeat of Ireland’s potato famine.

[MortMan]

Your punnage gives me aril thrill! It’s smooth as silk to my ear - a mawkish feast, roasted and buttered!

[noprogs]

Mother Nature is a mean old.....wench.

[notatard?]

Someone get me out of this crazy maize!

[Revel]

This guy has destroyed food. I use to love tomatoes. I won’t eat them anymore they are flavorless and disgusting.

[Tucker39]

Know what a bucaneer is?

If this stuff keeps up it will be the price of corn!

[Drill Thrawl]

Grow your own from heirloom seeds.

[Duchess47]

:) You need some tomatoes out of my garden, oh, and truckers corn also.

[jdsteel]

Grow your own from hybrids. Less disease, better yield, taste great. The key is to pick them ripe, not pick them green then ship them.

[Kirkwood]

If all you know is hybrid, you can’t begin to appreciate the quality and taste of the heirloom varieties.

[Lurkina.n.Learnin]

Those hydroponic tomatoes really suck. I’d sooner eat styrofoam packing peanuts.

[rawcatslyentist]

Chestnut blight....

"History shows again and again how nature points out the folly of man" ~Godzilla

[GraceG]

Nature Finds a Way!