Fears GM wheat that fends off greenfly could affect humans

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Fears GM wheat that fends off greenfly could affect humans

March 29th, 2012

FAKE NEWS for the Zionist agenda

Crop has been modified to give off a pheromone that leaves pests ‘terrified’

By
Tamara Cohen

PUBLISHED:

17:55 EST, 28 March 2012

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UPDATED:

18:55 EST, 28 March 2012

A GM wheat that sends greenfly packing has been developed by British scientists.

But environmental groups fear that the new crop could damage eco- systems and might affect humans.

Aphids – greenfly and blackfly – are the bane of gardeners’ and farmers’ lives because of the damage they do to plants by feasting on the sugars in their leaves.

Concerns: Environmental groups fear that the new GM wheat could damage eco-systems and might affect humans

In a world first, the scientists have genetically modified wheat so that it disperses aphids by giving off a scent that makes them ‘terrified’.

The wheat releases a chemical that greenfly already produce naturally to alert each other to imminent danger, such as marauding wasps.

During a trial at the Rothamsted Research laboratory in Hertfordshire, the wheat produced enough of the chemical to repel around 80 per cent of the parasites.

It is the first time a pheromone has been used for this purpose. The scientists say it is a ‘natural’ form of GM, which could stop farmers having to use toxic pesticides and could also be used in other plants.

Pest: Greenfly do a huge amount of damage to plants by damage they do to plants by feasting on the sugars in their leaves

The gene that produces the chemical, called A. farnasene, was taken from a peppermint plant and inserted into the wheat crops.

Professor John Pickett, of Rothamsted Research, said: ‘Aphids use an alarm pheromone, which when they are attacked by predators like ladybirds or parasitic wasps, causes them to disperse.

‘That dispersal activity can be used to repel them from the crop. It’s a natural product which we breathe and eat every day, which does not rely on toxic pesticides. We hope it will be good for farming.’

He said initial results had been ‘better than our wildest dreams’. The wheat is being tested this year and next year in a £900,000 government-funded trial.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said an independent group had found the trial would not damage human health or the environment.

But environmental groups have campaigned against the trial. Peter Riley, of GM Freeze, said the aphids would just head to the field next door.

‘They have done this in a laboratory,’ he said. ‘In the field it’s different. The history of GM crops demonstrates that contamination can occur.

‘It can interfere with the ecosystem and send aphids on to other plants. There are a lot of unanswered questions.’