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Non-GM success stories
Using GM to raise yield, fight drought, withstand floods, boost nutritional content of crops or tolerate salt in water or soils is the long way around, at best. There’s good reason to think it may never work at all.
Below is a list of non-GM successes proving what can be done to tackle common problems more quickly and with less risk that trying GM. Next time you see a story about a new GM “breakthrough”, why not check here to see if the non-GM breeders got there first?
This is only a selection of non-GM successes, and only dating back to 2007. There are many more examples being developed and used in field by farmers every day.
(NB: The links below take you to the sources of the information, so will open new windows not on the GM Freeze website.)
Non-GM drought tolerant crops
ICRISAT Develops Crops Resistant to Drought - 21 May 2011
(Note: 735 highly-nutritious and drought-tolerant crop varieties developed using germplasm and breeding materials in 78 countries including sorghum: 242varieties, pearl millet: 163 varieties, groundnut: 145 varieties, chickpea: 120 varieties, and pigeon pea: 65 varieties.)
Apples
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Scientists Develop Apple That Won't Rot - 10 November 2009
Arteminisin (malaria treatment)
Brassicas
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Genes Identified to Protect Brassicas from Damaging Disease - 1 November 2007
Cassava
Non-GM high yield, high nutrition cassava:
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Breeding Cassava to Feed the Poor - May 2010
Non-GM high yield drought resistant cassava:
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'Rooting: Out Hunger in Africa – and making Darwin proud - 7 September 2010
Non-GM virus resistant cassava:
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Scientists Halt Cassava and Banana Devastation in East and Central Africa - 29 June 2007
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Combatting Cassava Mosaic - 31 October 2007
Non-GM root-rot resistant cassava:
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Africa’s Cassava Comeback - 19 April 2007
Chilis
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Multi-disease Resistant Chili Lines for Higher Yields and Income - September 2008
Grapes
Maize
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Traditional maize can cope with climate change - 8 September 2011
Non-GM drought tolerant maize:
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Pioneer conventional drought tolerant maize increases yield 6% - 24 October 2011
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DuPont says new corn seed yields better in droughts - 5 January 2011
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Drought tolerant maize to hugely benefit Africa: study - 25 August 2010
(Note: Drought tolerant maize boosts yields up to 25 percent) -
Monsanto, DuPont Race to Win $2.7 Billion Drought-Corn Market - 21 April 21 2010
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Syngenta Seeds, Inc. Launches Agrisure Artesian™ Technology, First Water-Optimized Technology for Corn Hybrids - 26 July 2010
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Maize Farmers and Seed Businesses Changing with the Times in Malawi - e newsletter 2010
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New Maize Could Prepare Farmers for Climate Change - 2 September 2010
Non-GM high yield maize:
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Kari’s New Maize Seeds Promise Higher Yields - 31 May 2010
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Zambia: Maize Production (Almost) a Success Story - 1 February 2007
(Note: The Zambian Government was attacked for rejecting GM maize in 2002, inclduding calls from the US Ambassador to the FAO for its leaders to be tried "for the highest crimes against humanity in the highest courts of the world." President Levy Mwanawasa instead encouraged non-GM maize, resulting in bumper harvests.)
Non-GM reduced aflotoxin maize:
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New Hope for Improved Food Safety in Sub-Saharan Africa - July-August 2007
Non-GM iron fortified maize:
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Iron-fortified Maize Cuts Anaemia Rates in Children - 31 May 2007
Millet
Non-GM high iron millet:
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Iron Age for Millet and Bean - September 2008
Papaya
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Papaya ringspot virus resistance in Carica papaya via introgression from Vasconcellea quercifolia S. V. Siar, G. A. Beligan, A. J. C. Sajise, V. N. Villegas and R. A. Drew - 5 February 2011 (Euphytica, DOI: 10.1007/s10681-011-0388-z)
Peas and beans
Non-GM soy:
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USB: USDA ARS Scientist Prepares to Release Drought-Tolerant Soybean Variety - 29 January 2009
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High-yielding, soybean cyst nematodes-resistant non-GM soybeans - 7 July 2011
Non-GM beans:
15 varieties of high altitude high yield beans:
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Beans Climb to New Heights in Rwanda - 4 February 2010
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Iron Age for Millet and Bean - September 2008
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Addressing Hidden Hunger in Rwanda - 1 April 2010
Non-GM aphid resistant cowpea:
for chickpea and pigeon pea see "735 non-GM varieties" above.
Peanut and groundnut
for groundnut see "735 non-GM varieties" above.
Pest control (non-GM) crops
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Success for Plants' Pest Control - 7 October 2008
Potato
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ARS Scientists Seek Blight-Resistant Spuds - 3 June 2010
(Note: there are many blight resistant potatoes, these just happened to be paid for the US Government.)
Rice
Non-GM "perennial" high yield rice:
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'Extended life' rice could quadruple yields, cut costs - 29 September 2011
Non-GM flood-tolerant rice, aka “snorkel” or “scuba” rice:
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Flood-resistant Rice 'Also Has Drought-proof Trait' - 4 March 2011
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Fighting Hunger with Flood-tolerant Rice - 29 January 2009
Non-GM drought tolerant, high yield early maturing rice:
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Novel Upland Rice Variety Bred Using Marker Assisted Selection and Client-oriented Breeding Released in Jharkhand, India - 30 April 2009 (FAO Plant Breeding News, Edition 200)
Non-GM leaf blight and leaf blast resistant rices:
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ICAR Identifies Five New Rice Varieties - 20 April 2007
Sorghum
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See "735 non-GM varieties" above.
Tea
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No Genetic Modification Required to Improve Tea Plants - 29 September 2008
Tomato
Wheat
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CSIRO Develops Highest Yielding Salt Tolerant Wheat - 15 April 2010
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Crown Rot Remedy for Wheat - 10 November 2011