This article was about GM crops causing a super weed. A GM crop was made to be resistant to herbicides and and weed that was growing in the same area became resistant to three different herbicides.They found this out when they tested the results from Canadian farmers that volunteer to do it. Scientist are confused by how this happen, so they tested another plant that was growing in the same area and it was resistant herbicide too. Other counties aren't sher if they are going to allow GM crops because scientist say that it couldn't create a super weed, but when GM crops were used it form a super weed.
Reflection:
Scientist sad this could never happen and now it did so what do we now? If more farmers continue to use these GM crop so their will be crop and insects that are unkillable. If this kind of thing happens then scientist will have to come out with some kind of super herbicide and pesticide.
Questions:
1. What do think will happen if this super weed spreads?
2. Do you think that this super weed could become spread everywhere?
3. Do you think GM crops should not be used?
4. How would you prevent these super weeds from being made?
Information:
Tittle- GM crops created superweed, say scientists
Author-Paul Brown
Date-4/12/11
It is surprising to me that scientists said that GM crops couldn't create a super weed. Now that super weeds are here can people trust scientists in what they say next about the GM crops? If scientists were wrong once they could be wrong again and people won't be prepared. This article reminds me of GM lab we are doing in class. My group put weeds with our GM plants so what probably will happen is that the herbicide won't kill the GM plant and the weed will become resistent too possible making a superweed(not literally). Also, now we have a weed that is resistent to three different types of herbicides!
ReplyDeleteTo answer Drake's third question I believe that GM crops should be used just in a controlled manner. If the GM crops are controlled from buffer zones then there is a less likely chance of the GM crops and superweeds taking over. This could also be an answer to Drake's fourth question because we can creat buffer zones that could stop the superweeds from spreading but not necassarily from being made. What we could also do is just plant less GM plants, keep it all under control.
If you think about it, this situation does seem logical. It's like when you hang around bad people all the time, you become a bad person too. I know that these crops are not people, but the way this happened is relatively close. Weeds obtaining the traits of GM crops when they are in the same area. I think that the scientist could have at least have this scenario in the back of their minds.
ReplyDeleteIn response to question 3, I do think that this super weed could spread everywhere. Where ever people are growing GM crops, that area is capable of obtaining super weed. The more people are growing these GM crops, the more this super weed will spread around.
Obviously a super weed is going to happen, I mean what were the people thinking?? Adaptations are normal, so if weeds can't live in certain conditions then they will adapt to the new conditions. These super weeds should be feared by farmers because they are destined to happen. And it is also possible for one plant to get other plants' GM genes, so this could very well happen to these weeds if the circumstances are right.
ReplyDeleteTo respond to the first question, I think that it could cause a pretty huge issue if these weeds end up spreading. GM crops are already starting to spread into the wild and that's where weeds are meant to be! They thrive in the wild where there are many plants, and if nothing can kill them this could cause a large spread in this weed.
I responded to question 2 not 3, sorry.
ReplyDeleteI agree with all three comments above. I think that a super weed will grow no matter what. I do not get why people are confused about this. Just like when we go to the doctor to get a vaccine, that vaccine is a weaker form of the virus you are protecting yourself from. We do this so our body can then kill that virus if it were to come into our body. It is similar situation with the weeds. If the weeds cannot live in certain situations, then the will adapt to new ones like Quinn stated above. Overall I think that scientist should have saw this coming from the very beginning.
ReplyDeleteTo answer the second question: I do think that super weeds could spread everywhere. GMO crops are being grown all over the place. Wherever they are being grown, the super weeds could be growing there too. The more GMO crops, the more super weeds. EventuallyI think they will take over.
here's my link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pesticide_resistance
ReplyDeleteIt doesnt surprise me that GM crops have created a super weed like this. We discussed in class before that this was a very possible side effect of using genetically engineered crops. Obviously anything unnatural like that is going to have an environmental impact. It is ignorant for scientists to think that nothing bad would ever come out of this. Now that these super weeds have begun to spread, it is going to be extremely hard to get rid of them.
ReplyDeleteTo answer your first and second questions, I think that the superweed will become a major problem if it coninues to spread. This reminds me f how the Asain Carp took over the Mississippi River. I predict that these superweeds have the potential of having a similar effect on farms. Swift action needs to be taken if people want to have a chance of preventing this weed from become a nationwide problem.