The following discussion currently going on the agbioview news-group
may be useful to the patrons of the maize net.
Out-crossing of GM corn was the topic:
> - http://www.agbioworld.org,http://agbioview.listbot.com>>Three comments below:
>------------
>From: Anatole F Krattiger <afk3 at cornell.edu>
>>Since teosinte is threatened to be extinct, maybe insect resistance could
>be very useful a trait giving it a few more decades. In any case, there is
>one type of teosinte which grows mainly in the borders of agricultural
>fields. That is the most threatened. For that teosinte, herbicide tolerance
>might actually become the trait that saves it from total oblivion. Since
>nobody is transforming teosinte with that trait, outcrossing from maize
>could well be desirable rather than pose a threat. Just a though.
>>Anatole F Krattiger.
>--------------------
>From: Ann Oaks <aoaks at uoguelph.ca>
>>1) It is true that Maize can outcross with teosinte BUT the progeny are
>sterile. I know, I have worked with the crosses. Big bushy
>teosintexmaize hybrid, but no flowering parts at least not in Ontario.
>2 One of the reasons we have real problems with weeds and pests is that we
>select them by growing one crop in a field year after year. Wild teosinte
>would not be the only plant in the field, sooo I suggest the corn boarer
>would not be a problem.
> Ann Oaks <aoaks at UoGuelph.ca>
>-
>-----------
>From: Stephen Cessna <cessna at omni.cc.purdue.edu>
>>That's just my point! Convince me. And not with rhetoric or with
>atitude, but with an educated, confident, and calm answer that doesn't
>ridicule others for not knowing everything about corn. I know it's not
>very ammenable to many of the heated scientific conversations we might be
>used to, but if you really want someone to listen to you, educated
>kindness, and a willingness to admit that things are not perfect, goes a
>long ways.
>>Stephen Cessna
>>>> Whoa! I am not keen on Bt corn for corn borers, but what weeds can corn
>> outcross to in the US?
>>>----------------
>On Sat, 25 Mar 2000, Andrew Apel wrote:
>>> - http://www.agbioworld.org,http://agbioview.listbot.com>>>> Maize can outcross with its ancestor, teosinte, a weed common in
>>Mexico. This
>> has been going on for hundreds of years, though, and we don't have 'super
>> teosinte' that grows 6 feet tall and produces 300 bushels of teosinte
>>seed per
>> acre.
>>>> I'm not sure corn borers are fond of teosinte, but unless the insects are a
>> notable biocontrol for this weed, I can't see any adverse effects from
>> Bt-teosinte.
>>>______________________________________________________________________
>To unsubscribe, write to AgBioView-unsubscribe at listbot.com>______________________________________________________________________
>Start Your Own FREE Email List at http://www.listbot.com
--
Subbaiah Chalivendra
S-27 Turner Hall
Dept. Crop Sciences, 1102 S. Goodwin Ave
University of Illinois
Urbana, IL 61801-4730
Phone: 217 333-9743
Fax: 217 333-6064
---
