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Re: [SANET-MG] soybean rust a new dread



In reply to James Kotcon and Steve Diver,
I find that James seems to have missed the main point about genetic
uniformity. RRsoy is a single genetically uniform variety making up a
large proportion of US soy production. That property will likely hasten
the spread of the rust fungus. At this time it is not entirely wise to
obfuscate about the fundamental problem with genetic uniformity.
Interestingly USDA has undertaken screening of chemical fungicides to
treat the soy rust in Africa and South America since about 2002 in South
America and Africa. However, they focused on high priced chemical
fungicides and did not test the fungicides used for certified organic
production. They also seem to ignore the need to screen soy for rust
resistance. This may be a cultural thing, the main commercial soy in US
is reported to include only a few genetically uniform strains so that
screening those lines may not be fruitful.
The search for natural resistance has uncovered at least two resistant
varieties in Japan (J. Gen. Plant Pathol. 68 : 52-56 (2002) Pathogenic
Races of Phakopsora pachyrhizi on Soybean and Wild Host Plants Collected
in Japan
YAMAOKA,Y,FUJIWARA,Y, KAKISHIMA,M, KATSUYA1p,K, YAMADA1,K.and
HAGIWARA,H.). While in Africa only moderate resistance was identified
(Crop Protection 23 (2004) 447–455 Soybean rust severity, rate of rust
development, and tolerance as influenced by maturity period and season
Kawuk,R,Tukamuhabwa,P. and Adipala,E.). It may be that US organic soy
producers may , in fact, have among them resistant lines. However,
somebody needs to screen the existing genetic stocks before the epidemic
of rust takes hold. For example, a relatively recent coffee rust
epidemic was mainly remedied, I understand, by identifying and
propagating naturally resistant lines.
Finally, I wish to comment on credibility and "winning converts". My
experience with the corporate-government-academic public relations
machine driving spread of GM crops is that there is no way converts can
be gotten. They operate much like the Taliban, the final argument is to
simply behead all those you disagree with. Those people are really not
open discussion. Anyhow, as you know, USDA has developed a severe
dependency on chemical fixes and currently genetic ones. Since USDA
patents and benefits from commercial profits that result from practices
that discourage genetic diversity and they promote genetic uniformity
USDA should be replaced by an even handed agency to deal with organic
agriculture. sincerely,joe


James Kotcon wrote:

It is not my intent to defend GMO soybeans or genetic
uniformity. In fact, I thought I was being helpful.
I merely suggest that arguments against GMO soybean will be more
credible and more likely to win converts if we do not insist on
blaming GMO
for EVERY evil in the world. There are plenty of good and valid
reasons to
oppose genetic uniformity in crops, GMO or otherwise. But the claim that,
simply because genetic uniformity is a bad idea in general, it must be
responsible for every single epidemic that occurs, well that just is not
true. The real world is more complex than that, and not every ecological
principle is true 100 % of the time. In other words, exceptions are
the rule.
Furthermore, soybean rust was a very severe problem in other parts
of the world before RoundUp-Ready soybeans were developed. I am
unaware of
any specific link between GMO soybeans and rust susceptibility, but I
would
certainly enjoy reading any references that can make that specific link,
and will apologize profusely if I am wrong.

The more important issues is how should soybean rust be managed,
now that it is here. This will prove especially critical for organic
growers who cannot rely on synthetic fungicides, even if they were a good
idea. Does anyone have suggestions for organically approved remedies that
organic soybean growers might use? Or that researchers should be
evaluating?

JBK


At 02:23 PM 12/03/2004 -0800, you wrote:

James Kotcon wrote:

One of the most common failings of industrial risk assessors is
the use of over-generalizations, oversimplifications, and
extrapolations
beyond available data. We must avoid similar temptations. I merely
suggest that we keep the focus on the real issues, because moving
beyond
good science weakens our credibility.


The point that you seem to have missed is that concocting these
various flawed
gmo ag products is not representative of good science and is in fact
an insult
to our nation and the good farmers who helped build it using
conventional
seeds
and farm products - Joe Cummins has pointed this out repeatedly.

--
L.F.London
lfl@intrex.net
http://market-farming.com
http://www.ibiblio.org/ecolandtech

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*****
Jim Kotcon
304-293-3911 ext. 2230 (office)
304-293-2872 (fax)
304-594-3322 (home)
West Virginia University
Division of Plant and Soil Science
401 Brooks Hall, P. O. Box 6058
Morgantown, WV 26506

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