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| AgJournal | Home | War of words over biotechnology wears on | Feature | September 10, 2010 |
 War of words over biotechnology wears on Biotechnology research must focus on yields April 19, 2002 -- "The benefits of agricultural biotechnology to developing countries - one of its main public selling points - will require development of stress-resistant crops and new types of crops adapted to tropical climates," says Lynn Mytelka, director of the Netherlands-based institute. "Such crops are along way from market given the relative slow pace of testing in these areas." Only about one-quarter of field tests of genetically modified crops in the United States and 12.5 percent in the European Union relate directly to crop yield. The analysis includes field test data up until April 2001 for the EU and January 2002 for the United States. Much of current agricultural biotechnology research concerns herbicide tolerance and insect resistance, traits which reduce production costs but do not directly enhance yields. Three crops - corn, potatoes and soybeans - accounted for 64 percent of all U.S. genetically modified crop trials, while corn, sugarbeets and rapeseed account for 67 percent of EU trials in the analysis Three private firms - Monsanto, Pioneer and AgrEvo - accounted for 48 percent of all U.S. trials and for 26 percent of all EU trials. More public-sector research will likely be needed, Mytelka says.
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