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Nematode Control via RNA trojan horse deliver by the plant to specific nematodes....but its organic?
Is it organic or GMO and safe for bees?
- Thread starter DirtMechanic
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As you have as much ability to sit on the GoT iron throne as anyone I know, I am interested in your opinion. Of course this is given the fact that absolutely nothing in terms of articles on google is anything but a marketing device.
However, its always those with something to sell that make an effort at communication. This effort applies and was probably learned from creatures of nature so its not a bad thing until you tear my cell phone up with robocalls.
NigelJ
Still Learning
Firstly nematodes are not insects so should be safe for bees.
Yes it is organic.
It is also not close to market.
Just had a look at the original paper https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2019.00483/full also see https://eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2019-05/uos-smb050219.php
They have used naturally occurring compounds from soil bacteria to stimulate the plants natural defence systems. The plant defences work by inhibiting certain types of RNA in the nematode. Note some experiments resulted in increased infection.
The exact mechanisms of how this works have to be understood, the work was done on wheat, with a specific nematode in the laboratory.
Yes it is organic.
It is also not close to market.
Just had a look at the original paper https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2019.00483/full also see https://eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2019-05/uos-smb050219.php
They have used naturally occurring compounds from soil bacteria to stimulate the plants natural defence systems. The plant defences work by inhibiting certain types of RNA in the nematode. Note some experiments resulted in increased infection.
The exact mechanisms of how this works have to be understood, the work was done on wheat, with a specific nematode in the laboratory.
I don't think the GMO trembles are real. All plants aggregate/accumulate elements/compounds from the soil. That's why they taste like they do and are poisonous or non-poisonous. Carrots absorb/use a different set than radishes and that's why they taste differently grown in the same soil. All crops also deplete the soil of the elements/compounds they absorb/use and leave the soil artificially high in elements that are left-over when a compound is cleaved and some elements in a compound are used and one element is not used. Radishes, for one, will eventually leave the soil toxic if not rotated. We know what combination of elements are poisonous, and GMO's are thoroughly tested and they know just exactly what's in there. Do growers of so-called "organic" this or that test their crops to assure content? No. They say, "Take my word for it, we don't use this or that to grow our crops."
How close is today's corn to original maize? Do we really have any idea of the chain of maize varieties that were selected/bred to the point that Europeans first started selecting/breeding to get where we are today? Same for lettuce, tomatoes, squash, potatoes, ad infinitum. Are today's typical grocery varieties of anything close to what occurs in "nature"?
Lots of bugs/pests love this and won't touch that. It's perfectly possible, and even likely, that the scientists that are behind this particular strategy are mimicking or copying the same process used elsewhere by Mother Nature, and already eaten by us.
How close is today's corn to original maize? Do we really have any idea of the chain of maize varieties that were selected/bred to the point that Europeans first started selecting/breeding to get where we are today? Same for lettuce, tomatoes, squash, potatoes, ad infinitum. Are today's typical grocery varieties of anything close to what occurs in "nature"?
Lots of bugs/pests love this and won't touch that. It's perfectly possible, and even likely, that the scientists that are behind this particular strategy are mimicking or copying the same process used elsewhere by Mother Nature, and already eaten by us.
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Original corn
I'm a-maized at the evolution! While I think of it, Bees make honey out of whatever is handy, and where Azaleas are the predominant flower, they make honey which is toxic to us, but they like it just fine.
NigelJ
Still Learning
Might be of interest https://modernfarmer.com/2014/09/strange-history-hallucinogenic-mad-honey/
As above modern crops are very different to the originals. Most of this was due to selection of varieties with the desired properties. Breeding for characteristics is far more recent.
The intrinsic variety and variability of wild species continues to be important for plant breeding. This is why collecting and conserving wild varieties both in their habitat and also in seed banks is important. The situation with bananas is an excellent example of becoming dependent on one cultivar and finding it threatened by a virulent fungal disease. Scientists are currently searching wild types for resistant traits to use in breeding programmes.
As above modern crops are very different to the originals. Most of this was due to selection of varieties with the desired properties. Breeding for characteristics is far more recent.
The intrinsic variety and variability of wild species continues to be important for plant breeding. This is why collecting and conserving wild varieties both in their habitat and also in seed banks is important. The situation with bananas is an excellent example of becoming dependent on one cultivar and finding it threatened by a virulent fungal disease. Scientists are currently searching wild types for resistant traits to use in breeding programmes.