How to face the commercial cultivation of genetically modified rice

With the conclusion of the Ministry of Agriculture’s recent meeting on the commercialization of genetically modified rice, China is very likely to be the first country in the world to grow genetically grown rice. This shows that there will be a fundamental shift in the way humans transform nature and make science work for humanity. However, this method is not the most appropriate, is it really can bring happiness to human beings, whether it is in line with the optimal input-output ratio of economics, it will take time to test. There are two ways to transform nature. One is a way to get close to nature or imitate nature, and the other is a way to stay away from nature or unnatural. In both options, the British Prince Charles once stated that in the face of genetically modified foods, people fear that the role of God is being replaced by technology and the public will face an ominous future. Even if it is to fill the belly of a large population, it does not necessarily have to rely on genetically modified foods. Instead, it can adopt more gentle and comprehensive steps to find ways consistent with natural nature to increase food production and improve varieties. Sincere words! Although it cannot be said that genetic modification is an anti-natural approach, it is certainly more remote from nature than traditional crop cultivation methods that are more natural. First, it is rapid. It takes just a few years, even months or days, to transfer a genetic fragment of an alien species (genetic material) to another species, which can be expressed after one or two generations. The product of this foreign gene - protein. Second, the transgenes are radical and long-span. They can combine the genes of two species that are unrelated to each other. For example, the soil microbial toxin gene Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) is transferred to rice and the latter Resists insects; transfers Arctic fish genes to tomatoes to make them resistant to cold. In the natural evolutionary approach, of course, there are also gene exchanges and fusions, but one will not produce this rush-and-rush type of gene transfer, and second, it will not produce such a large jump-type genetic material fusion. A certain crop's traits and characteristics need to adapt to the environment for thousands of years to form and consolidate. Therefore, it is slow in evolution, but it is also very safe. Because genetic evolution in natural evolution will allow species to adjust their genes internally and maintain the stability and balance of their internal structures. Meanwhile, the slow process also makes them stable and balanced with the environment and with other species, mutual benefit, and symbiosis. good relationship. Rapid gene transfer may not only make it difficult to adapt to the full and organic integration of foreign genes within a species, but also make this species produce new characteristics (such as insect resistance) with the environment and other species due to the expression of special foreign genes. The relationship is difficult to quickly run into, causing ecological problems. Just as a driving car is turning, it is necessary to slow down and slowly turn the steering wheel. If the speed is rapid and the steering is rapid, it will not only turn into corners, but may also cause the car to die. In other words, the way of transgenesis is more insecure than traditional crop cultivation methods. This is why the results of frequent researches after the appearance of genetically modified crops and foods indicate that it is not safe, such as the Puszto incident in the UK (feeding rats with a potato lectin gene, rats' body weight and organ weight after eating. (Reduced, impaired immune system); Mexican butterfly incident (transgenic insect-resistant corn pollen floating on a weed named "Mishilijin", feeding the American monarch butterfly with milkweed leaves, resulting in 44% The larvae die) and so on. Although the results of these studies have been rejected by researchers advocating GM technology, the enormous risks faced by GM crops have so far been difficult for anyone to guarantee. Anyone admits that the safety of GM crops is difficult to match with traditional crops while protecting them. Ecological and environmental GM crops are also difficult to look at the back of conventional crops. Facts have proved that today's traditional cultivation methods are not only extremely effective, but also very safe. For example, Chinese farmers have been planting high-yield hybrid rice and traditional japonica rice in the fields to maintain sufficient supply of japonica rice. Zhu Youyong, president of Yunnan Agricultural University, used this simple, low-cost and low-input cultivation practice to apply the principles of biodiversity and ecological balance to design a hybrid rice line with 4 lines that is highly resistant to rice blast. Traditional japonica rice mixed system. The results of the popularization test showed that less than 60% of pesticides were used per acre of rice fields, and production was increased by more than 50 kg. The land utilization rate was increased by 10%-15%. For bacterial blight, rice experts have long proposed that the traditional breeding technology has been successfully solved, and it is very easy to solve, why use unknown genetically modified technology? People have no objection to the use of science and technology to transform nature to benefit mankind and promote social progress. The key is what kind of approach we should choose.

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