GMO “Terminator Mustard” in India“The claim that ‘Terminator Mustard’ will increase yields by 30% is scientifically false and a blatant lie… The traits being introduced by GM mustard are known to be hazardous and are illegal…”
Our mustard is once again under threat, this time from genetic engineering of mustard for sterility and herbicide tolerance by Dr Deepak Pental, Delhi University’s former vice-chancellor. Not only do we not need genetically engineered mustard, the traits being introduced by genetically modifying mustard are known to be hazardous and are illegal under international and national law.
Dr Pental, who has spent time in Tihar jail for plagiarising a colleague’s work on mustard, is now blatantly violating laws that protect our biodiversity and farmers’ rights.
The genetically modified organism (GMO) mustard is based on what has been called the “Terminator Technology” to make the harvested seed sterile. The United Nations Convention on Biodiversity has banned the use of “Terminator Technology”. It is also illegal under India’s Protection of Plant Variety and Farmers Right Act, 2001. The patent for this technology is held by the US’ department of agriculture and Delta & Pine Land (a company now owned by Monsanto).
Dr Pental has used “Terminator Technology” based on the barnase gene which is lethal to cells. In addition to the terminator trait, GMO mustard has been engineered to be resistant to the herbicide Glufosinate, which halts photosynthesis, resulting in plant death. When Glufosinate is sprayed in fields, all other plants die except the herbicide resistant GMO.
These are technologies for killing life, not for growing food. They must be banned.
http://www.globalresearch.ca/gmo-termin ... ia/5468977India is being hit hard by GM seeds and the push by agri corps in to GM. Saw a tv documentary on Rt about farmers in the US saying much the same things, about wheat I think it was, and how the companies lie, the yields are nowhere near what's claimed and the whole thing is a way of tying them to the big corps for ever, or until they fail. Something they appear to be doing, or in danger of, more frequently. They say the costs keep rising and the resultant extra profit from yield just don't exist. In fact the costs increase in just managing the crops because of the problems they cause, not just in the cost of the deal with agri corps. It's all a bit of a dangerous mess with only one clear winner. No prizes for guessing who that is.
