GM Potatoes Banned From Potato Homeland

The government of Cusco, a region in the Peruvian Andes, has decided to ban all genetically modified (GM) varieties of potato. The area was the birthplace of many varieties of spud, and is still home to thousands of kinds of potato, from the notoriously hard to peel q'achun waq'achi to the dark grey amakjaya.

The move was supported by a Peruvian non-profit organization called Association ANDES, along with the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED). The motivation is both to ensure that genes from GM potatoes do not infiltrate the native potatoes, and to support efforts to market the area as a source of diverse, authentic, organic potato varieties.

But some note that there are ways of allaying fears about the accidental spread of GM potatoes. Creating types without viable seeds can prevent genetic dispersal. Spuds can be grown asexually by planting the sprouts, or 'eyes', from last year's crop.

Readers can access the full article at http://www.nature.com/news/2007/070716/full/070716-5.html.