In the case of Roundup Ready beans, however, if there is any yield drag, it's not obvious, Specht adds. Roundup Ready beans may actually appear to bring a yield increase because they're not set back by Roundup in the way conventional soybeans are sometimes shocked early in their development when grown in fields treated with other herbicides. The greatest risk is in plants that combine several end-use traits. Although Asgrow's Walker agrees that in theory, gene stacking could result in problems, he says Monsanto and Asgrow are working to assure that their customers won't see genetic disasters in their fields. And laboratory technology can prevent disasters in new introductions of genetically-altered seeds.
Researchers are able to track any undesirable genetic baggage at the molecular level.
I think we have the tools that we can track it and not release something that's inferior. By Dan Looker , Successful Farming Business Editor Copyright Meredith Corporation 1998. All rights reserved.