February 2, 2017
PITY THE POOR MALTHUSIANS:
New 'super yield' GM wheat trial gets go-ahead (Matt McGrath, 1 February 2017, BBC)
For the critics, the solution is not more food but fewer people.In greenhouse tests, the new wheat has shown increased yields of between 20-40%The planting of a new experimental crop of genetically modified (GM) wheat will take place this spring after the UK government gave the final go ahead.The GM wheat has been engineered to use sunlight more efficiently and has boosted greenhouse yields by up to 40%.Researchers in Hertfordshire now want to see if they can replicate these gains in the field.Critics say that boosting wheat yields is not an answer to global food shortages. [...]With a rapidly growing global population, food production will need to increase by 70% by 2050 to meet the demand, say researchers.
Posted by Orrin Judd at February 2, 2017 5:20 AM