Miguel Altieri

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A Discussion on Biotechnology in Agriculture
Miguel Altieri Agroecology University of
California Berkeley Andrew Paul
Gutierrez Ecosystem Analysis University of
California Berkeley Neal Gutterson Mendel
Biotechnology David Zilberman Agricultural
Economics
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Andrew Paul Gutierrez Ecosystem
Science University of California
Berkeley carpediem_at_nature.berkeley.edu

• What special advantages or disadvantages does
  biotechnology introduce to agriculture - is it
  simply a technology looking for problems?
• 2. Has the technology been implemented too soon
  - is our understanding of the consequences
  sufficient?
• 3. Is the technology sustainable socially,
  ecologically and economically?

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Some GMO proponents claim that opposition is
based on ignorance.

• Basis of the antagonism
• against GM crops
• human health issues
• ecological
• economic
• ethical

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• 99 of the current GM crops in field trials and
  under commercial use are in the area of pest
  management.
• (James 2001).
• (Bt and herbicide resistance technologies)

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GM crops are widely touted as having an important
role in fighting poverty and world hunger.
Per Pinstrup-Andersen Former Director General
of IFPRI and the 2001 World Food Prize Laureate

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Comments from UC Berkeley
A biotech scientist We can always pyramid
other genes and gene technologies to solve
problems that arise!
A former Berkeley administrator Forget about
biological control, biotechnology will solve pest
problems!
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Governor George W. Bush equated criticism of
GMOs to a criminal act.
Why?
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• Parallels between pesticide use and Bt technology
• Is the Bt technology needed?

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natural enemies
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California
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bollworms
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The effects of bollworm
Treatments bales/acre
(plot means) untreated A
2.8 B
2.7
C 2.6
D 2.6      
loss cost of pesticides yield loss
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Cotton in the San Joaquin Valley, CA

Pesticide (X)
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Bacillus thuringiensis Bt a protein crystal
(toxin)
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100
80
60
surviving
40
20
0
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
time
Ashfaq et al. 2000
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100
fecundity
75 -150
150 - 250
80
500
800
60
survival on Bt cotton
40
20
0
developmental time (days) on conventional (?) and
Bt (?) cotton
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Non target effects on natural enemies
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natural control
Economic threshold
time
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Bt cotton
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pink bollworm
Imperial County, California 1976-2000
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CROP
IPM
Environmental policy
rice
cotton
?
?
?
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resistance