Thursday, January 06, 2005

You say potato...

Organic potatoes got a leg up with a new variety that resists the fungus that so frequently attacks potatoes in the field. Farmers who raise conventional potatoes, of course, rely on chemicals to kill the fungus, but organic producers are forbidden to use such measures.

Once again, regular breeding has shown itself capable of producing traits that are often touted for GMO varieties. My earlier post on a new generation of "super-organics" talks about why GMO crops may be doomed as genetic research is put to use in conventional breeding in ways that make GMOs unnecessary.

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