Son of Terminator: Novartis' New "Traitor" Seed Patent Sows Controversy
George Baxter
slap it onto this forum?
>She agreed that the company had discovered a way of genetically modifying
>crops so that their immune systems were disabled, but stressed that this
>was for 'research purposes' only.
All forms of reseach are aimed at finding out how things work. By
researching into how plants immune systems work, they can understand how
pests attack the plants.
Only an idiot would think they will start to sell a seed with the
disabled immune system.
--
George Baxter george...@baxter0.screaming.net
AgriHouse
system with their own antidote because patents have been taken to activate
the plants immune system through natural ways.
So they will disable the plants immune system through its seed, thus
allowing them to sell the cure.
How diabolically logical!
Makes cents for them!
Christopher Wirth
David Kendra
dreamed up like you describe. NIM analogues exist in many plant species and
Novartis was simply looking at genes that are regulated by induction of the
plant defense respones (plants do not have an immune system, as based on the
classical definition).
dk
Tracy Aquilla
> Actually I think Novartis/Syngenta did this to activate the plants immune
> system with their own antidote because patents have been taken to activate
> the plants immune system through natural ways.
> So they will disable the plants immune system through its seed, thus
> allowing them to sell the cure.
I wonder if anyone can kindly provide references to peer-reviewed publications
which describe generally the plant immune system? I have not been able to find
any and I am curious.
Tracy
Ian St. John
"Tracy Aquilla" <aqu...@bpmlegal.com> wrote in message
news:39F98C58...@bpmlegal.com...
I doubt if it has been studied or quantified in that way. Just look for
reports of biochemical changes or signals related to insect attack. Often
these changes are detected by nearby trees, and cause chemical defenses to
ramp up.
ant
Ian St. John wrote in message <9727364...@sai.velocet.net>...
>
>"Tracy Aquilla" <aqu...@bpmlegal.com> wrote in message
>news:39F98C58...@bpmlegal.com...
>> AgriHouse wrote:
>>
>> > Actually I think Novartis/Syngenta did this to activate the plants
>immune
>> > system with their own antidote because patents have been taken to
>activate
>> > the plants immune system through natural ways.
>> > So they will disable the plants immune system through its seed, thus
>> > allowing them to sell the cure.
>>
>> I wonder if anyone can kindly provide references to peer-reviewed
>publications
>> which describe generally the plant immune system? I have not been able
to
>find
>> any and I am curious.
>
tracy asking for peer reviewed references?
ROFL
he is yet to provide _any_ to back his many claims about transgenic food
safety.
untill then his demands are sounding rather hollow and reek of double
standards.
>I doubt if it has been studied or quantified in that way. Just look for
>reports of biochemical changes or signals related to insect attack. Often
>these changes are detected by nearby trees, and cause chemical defenses to
>ramp up.
>
>
i remember reading something abouthtat in new scientist s few years ago,
Tracy really should try and keep up with the literature and state of the
art. and perhaps learn to use a search engine
plenty of references to plant immune systems, have not moved onto the
specialist scientific search engines yet
http://www.novloc.interpath.net/products/cropprotection/brochures/growing/i
ssue1/worldwide.shtml
ActigardTM, being developed by Novartis research, is not a fungicide. In
fact, it's not a 'cide at all. Here's why: Plants can activate their own
natural defenses through a process called Systemic Activated Resistance, or
SAR. In nature, SAR is sporadic. But by "inoculating" plants with
preventive applications of Actigard, this "natural" response is stimulated
for more consistent protection against many fungal, bacterial and viral
pathogens.
http://www.wsu.edu/NIS/releases/ts126.htm
November 17, 1998
MEDIA CONTACT: Tim Steury 509/335-1378, ste...@wsu.edu
Plant Viruses Discover How to Overcome Gene Silencing
PULLMAN, Wash. -- Given the nature of nature, it should come as no
surprise that when viruses attack, plants don't just sit there and take it.
They fight back.
James Carrington, WSU professor at the Institute of Biological
Chemistry, studies plant-virus interactions from both the virus and the
host ends. Recent work in his lab suggests that it is not just the plants
that fight back. At least some plant viruses have figured out how to
overcome gene silencing, one of the most elegant of the plant defense
systems. Carrington and co-researcher Kristin Kasschau report on their work
in the Nov. 13 issue of the journal Cell.
Gene silencing differs from many other plant defense systems in
that it is adaptive. The plant perceives information from the infecting
virus in the form of the virus's genome. The plant then designs a counter
attack that is determined by and specific for that genome. The potential
diversity of the system appears to be unlimited, for its diversity is not
pre-defined in the plant genome. Silencing is as adaptable as the human
immune system, for it customizes its response to each individual virus.
http://www.newscientist.com/ns/19991016/newsstory4.html
Full fat fungicide
Spray milk on cucumbers and courgettes and it kills mildew
THE DOORSTEP PINT has the makings of an ideal fungicide for protecting
organically grown cucumbers and other vegetables, according to researchers
in Brazil. It attacks a mould known as powdery mildew, which is a major
problem for organic farmers scrambling to meet the growing demand for
chemical-free vegetables.
The mould, Sphaerotheca fuliginea, appears as a powdery white growth on the
leaves of cucumbers and courgettes (zucchini). It damages the plants by
causing the leaves to shrivel up. At present, only chemical fungicides are
available.
\
Bettiol is not yet sure why milk works so well, but he speculates that it
helps the plants in two ways. Milk is known to kill some microorganisms. It
also contains potassium phosphate, which boosts the plant's immune system
and so may help it inhibit the mildew's growth.
http://www.plantpath.wisc.edu/benta.html
Our work examines the molecular basis of plant resistance to infection by
microbial pathogens. The plant immune system includes some components that
are conserved with other organisms such as animals, as well as a number of
capacities that are unique to plants. On a practical level, one of the best
ways to control plant diseases is through use of genetically determined
resistance. This approach is convenient for the grower and minimizes the
need for costly, time-consuming and/or potentially toxic external
treatments. Plant breeders have utilized disease resistance genes in
cultivar development for literally thousands of years, but the molecular
basis of this resistance is only partly understood. Identification and
study of the plant genes and the biochemical/cellular processes that
control disease resistance can bring us closer to understanding the basic
mechanisms of pathogen recognition, defense signal transduction and
activation of resistance responses. These discoveries also foster the
development of specific biotechnological approaches for improvement of
disease resistance.
seems that the term plant immune system is so commonly recognised that a
more specailist term would be needed to turn up specific peer revewed data
as the term covers to wide an area of knowledge. i really wonder about
tracy sometimes.
ant
Tracy Aquilla
> Ian St. John wrote in message <9727364...@sai.velocet.net>...
> >"Tracy Aquilla" <aqu...@bpmlegal.com> wrote in message
> >news:39F98C58...@bpmlegal.com...
> >> AgriHouse wrote:
> >>
> >> > Actually I think Novartis/Syngenta did this to activate the plants
> >immune
> >> > system with their own antidote because patents have been taken to
> >activate
> >> > the plants immune system through natural ways.
> >> > So they will disable the plants immune system through its seed, thus
> >> > allowing them to sell the cure.
> >>
> >> I wonder if anyone can kindly provide references to peer-reviewed
> >> publications which describe generally the plant immune system?
> >> I have not been able to find any and I am curious.
>
> tracy asking for peer reviewed references?
> ROFL
>
> he is yet to provide _any_ to back his many claims about transgenic food
> safety.
Well actually, I have not made any claim regarding the safety of GMO foods,
although I have reminded you that these products were evaluated and approved as
safe by regulatory authorities in many countries around the world (both facts
which you keep ignoring).
> untill then his demands are sounding rather hollow and reek of double
> standards.
But I did provide references (published in The Lancet and Nature), you just did
not read them.
> >I doubt if it has been studied or quantified in that way.
Obviously, that is true.
> Just look for
> >reports of biochemical changes or signals related to insect attack. Often
> >these changes are detected by nearby trees, and cause chemical defenses to
> >ramp up.
>
> i remember reading something abouthtat in new scientist s few years ago,
> Tracy really should try and keep up with the literature and state of the
> art. and perhaps learn to use a search engine
I am aware of the ability of plants to produce defensive compounds in response
to pests. However, multiple searches for scientific literature describing the
"immune system" of plants have yielded nothing.
> plenty of references to plant immune systems, have not moved onto the
> specialist scientific search engines yet
Apparently, they have not moved into the scientific literature yet either. I
await them patiently.
Tracy
Chuck Robinson
> ant wrote:
>
> I am aware of the ability of plants to produce defensive compounds in
response
> to pests. However, multiple searches for scientific literature describing
the
> "immune system" of plants have yielded nothing.
>
Several years ago, in upstate New York, there were some studies (done by a
major fertilizer company) accomplished on potatoes using Boron at very high
rates on soils having high Calcium levels. Up to 2 lbs/A was applied via
split boot at planting time. The original study was designed to try to
increase yields. Plant tissue levels during the major portion of the
growing season were in the high to excessive range and but diminishing as
the season progressed. What was interesting about this study was that
insects, primarily the Colorado Potato Beetle, avoided the 1.5 and 2.0 lb/A
treated plots. Untreated plots were damaged and required several pesticide
applications. US Borax picked up the data on the study but I am unaware if
any additional studies were undertaken. A professor at Cobleskill believed
that B increased the levels of "Phenolic compounds" in the plant making them
unpalatable to insects. Some organic alfalfa growers also believe that
greater than normal applications of Boron will suppress insect activity. I
do know Boron is extremely toxic to most insects (as well as many species of
plants), but, as to research on its efficacy as an insect supressant, I have
not found any at this time.
CR