Rice without fear of the syrup

2002/09/02 Galarraga Aiestaran, Ana - Elhuyar Zientzia

• Genetika
• Nekazaritza

The Ebro Delta Research Station of the Institute of Agrarian Research and Technology of Catalonia (IRTA) is working on the search for cheap and effective methods against this insect, which will culminate in October its project of rice resistant to sycamore. The project began in 1999 and is part of the European research project ERRI (Plant engineering for insect resistance).

To obtain an orifice resistant rice, genes from the bacterium Bacilus thuringiensis have been introduced in the DNA of rice, that is, they have genetically modified the plant. This bacterium is used as a natural insecticide, and rice with its genes is capable of resisting the syrup. In addition, these resistant genes are only expressed when they are attacked by the insect and only in the affected part.

Recently, the ANTAMA group, in favor of the use of biotechnology in agriculture, organized a day in the Ebro delta, in which they explained that farmers want to have permission to plant this rice. In fact, they expect that with less expenditure the harvest will be more abundant. According to the researchers, the exchange of genetic information between genetically modified rice and common rice is very complicated, since the pollen of rice is very heavy (so the wind does not take it very far) and lasts very little time.

However, society does not see with good eyes the agriculture of genetically modified plants, and before its commercialization the European Union must allow its planting.

In addition, the Food Security Agency of the Ministry of Health is currently underway in Madrid. Taking into account the craziest cow, the Agency intends to anticipate similar crises and analyze the safety of daily food, without a doubt, what to investigate and decide on genetically modified foods.