Genetically Modified Crops Run Wild

Crops with genetic modifications are cross-pollinating in unintended ways across North Dakota. The pesticide, herbicide and drought resistant strains are proving difficult to control. In this case it is canola, a weedy plant used for its oil, that is evolving its GM traits through reproduction: “The finding provides a warning for future genetic modifications that might increase fitness in all kinds of plants; it will be difficult to keep those traits on the farm and out of the wild. ‘The big concern is traits that would increase invasiveness or weediness, traits such as drought tolerance, salt tolerance, heat or cold tolerance’ says weed scientist Carol Mallory-Smith of Oregon State University—all the traits that Monsanto and others are currently developing to help crops adapt to climate change.”