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When Biotechnologists Lack Objectivity


Affiliations
1 Center for the Analysis of Sustainable Agricultural System, Kensington CA, United States
2 Sunray Harvesters, Mhow 453 441, India
 

We dismiss Deepak Pental’s strong biased criticisms of P. C. Kesavan and M. S. Swaminathan; evaluate the nature of disagreements of the GMO problem, and review two major controversies concerning GMO’s in India: Bt cotton and the proposed commercialization of GMO herbicide-tolerant (HT) mustards. The data show that the very modest gains in cotton yields were due to increased fertilizer use and not Bt cotton adoption, and that better non-GMO options are available. Using data made available through Right to Information Act, we show that the process of biosafety testing of GMO mustard DMH 11 and its HT parents was flawed and that no yield gains accrued compared to the available non-GMO hybrid DMH-1.
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  • When Biotechnologists Lack Objectivity

Abstract Views: 290  |  PDF Views: 68

Authors

Andrew Paul Gutierrez
Center for the Analysis of Sustainable Agricultural System, Kensington CA, United States
Peter E. Kenmore
Center for the Analysis of Sustainable Agricultural System, Kensington CA, United States
Aruna Rodrigues
Sunray Harvesters, Mhow 453 441, India

Abstract


We dismiss Deepak Pental’s strong biased criticisms of P. C. Kesavan and M. S. Swaminathan; evaluate the nature of disagreements of the GMO problem, and review two major controversies concerning GMO’s in India: Bt cotton and the proposed commercialization of GMO herbicide-tolerant (HT) mustards. The data show that the very modest gains in cotton yields were due to increased fertilizer use and not Bt cotton adoption, and that better non-GMO options are available. Using data made available through Right to Information Act, we show that the process of biosafety testing of GMO mustard DMH 11 and its HT parents was flawed and that no yield gains accrued compared to the available non-GMO hybrid DMH-1.

References





DOI: https://doi.org/10.18520/cs%2Fv117%2Fi9%2F1422-1429