Scientists have adapted this natural ability of A. tumefaciens to insert beneficial genes into crops. There are now many instances of edible plants being modified in such a way as to make them more resistant to pests, to grow in drought conditions or produce higher, more nutritious yields. In the blast of propaganda from the anti-GM merchants it is easy to forget that the technology can lower our reliance on chemical sprays. Another way of looking at this is that GM technology should allow canola seed farmers to grow crops on half the land they once used, and use half as much fertiliser and pesticide as a result. GM technology can improve human health even more directly.
Natural toxins produced by moulds can be highly lethal.
Mycotoxins on organically grown nuts have killed thousands of people. American scientists have found that GM corn contains lower levels of mycotoxins because the grain is less prone to insect damage, which has allowed moulds to grow more easily on the grain. Scientists also plan to produce edible vaccines in plants, a simple, sterile way of delivering a vital medicine to children in the developing world. Infant diarrhoea caused by intestinal infections probably kills more babies than any other single disease. A GM vegetable or fruit bearing an entertoxin vaccine is far from natural, but a potential life-saver.