New Bt Maize Trials in the EU
August 22, 2008| |
A series of projects funded by the German Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) will be investigating the environmental impacts of genetically modified maize containing stacked genes. In addition to the Bt genes that confer resistance to the European corn borer and western corn rootworm, the transgenic maize also contains herbicide-resistance genes.
As in previous investigations, researchers are focusing primarily on the small living organisms in the maize field. RWTH Aachen University is investigating possible impacts of Bt maize on the broad spectrum of insects and spiders found in the field. One of the things they will be researching is to what extent butterflies living at the edge of the field come into contact with Bt maize pollen. Researchers from the Bavarian State Research Center for Agriculture, on the other hand, will be zeroing in on the effect of the transgenic crop spider and ground beetle populations. This series of research projects will also be looking at bees for the first time. University of Bayreuth will be investigating whether bees tolerate Bt maize pollen less well than conventional pollen.
More information on the projects is available at http://www.gmo-safety.eu/en/maize/ecosystem/652.docu.html
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