On Wed, 8 May 2002 14:17:22 +0900, Tom Bridgeland <[log in to unmask]>
wrote:

>Just one example, the new corn varieties (that Europeans love to
>hate). My Dad planted some last time I was home. It was very dry that
>year, and close to the critical pollination period. I asked him if he
>wasn't worried about the corn. He said that just 10 years ago he would
>have been worried, but not now. The new corn is so much tougher, that
>a drought that would have severely reduced harvest, just didn't matter
>any more. The corn was fine.
>
>These changes are not going to go away.

More heat resistant varieties aren't much to worry about
as far as I'm aware of.
However if you notice what purpose for the genetic changes are made
for - it sounds like Frankenstein.
Particularly if your are sensibilized by our antinutrient discussions here.
For example soy is beeing "egineered" to stand a bigger load of poisonous
chemicals (agrochemicals). Fine for the farmer.
The consumer of soy or of animals which eat the soy will then find more
agrochemical residues.

Or now varieties are found, which have a natural resistency against pests.
Isn't that great? Less chemicals.
At first I thought that too.
Then I disvocered *how* the resistencies work.
The new varieties are breed or gen manipulated to produce
*more lectins*. Or different and more aggressive lectins.
For example fish lectins or tomato lectins for grains.
Or bacteria lectins for tomatoes.
Even aggressive pests, which would thrive through the big monocultures
can't stand to eat the wheat anymore.

And what does that mean to humans?
I think we are a little more sensitive to the lectin issue.
Lectins attack gut walls, cause long term damages, food intolerances.

Nobody will analyse or complain about wheat with 10-times as much lectins.
They show up as protein.

All the difficulties against gluten, grains ....
Most is triggered by "wheat" , trigum aestivum.

Far away from the plants which led to the neolithic revolution.
Today "wheat" is a techno plant, designed to fit some technical requirements
of nitrogen acceptance, lectin production etc.
Far away from the wheat  of the pharaos, of Rome, of Celts and Germans,
of linearband.

The only way to overcome this is to find a farmer who produces old
varieties. Or to fed the grains in monster farmhouses to pigs or cattle
and eat these.
Which in turn leads to other problems (fat composition, pharmaceuticals).

I'd advocate a less intense farming, just like you picture it for bison
farming also for grain farming.
1/4 the harvest but less long term problems.
And I'd advocate more fruit tree farming, including nuts.

regards

Amadeus S