Genetically modified crops deserve greater ecotoxicological scrutiny

Abstract

Historians are keen to remind us that history tends to rhyme, even if it does not repeat itself. In a historical context, the story of today’s genetically modified (GM) crops resembles that of the synthetic organic insecticides beginning circa the second half of the last century. In practice, GM crops include crop cultivars that have been modified by incorporating one or more genes (using genetic engineering techniques) originating from species other than the crop species itself. Presently available GM crops include crop cultivars expressing tolerance to particular herbicides, or resistance to insect pests or diseases (or combinations). Beginning in the late 1940s, synthetic organic insecticides became widely available for agricultural use, were received by farmers and agricultural scientists with excitement and little scepticism, and soon became indispensable if farmers were to remain competitive (Perkins 1982). Synthetic insecticides were rapidly used indiscriminately and the environmental consequences of such indiscriminate use became clearly evident within three decades, including impacts on communities of nontarget organisms (NTO) (Perkins 1982). The human-health consequences were evident sooner, but were largely ignored. Such consequences remain easily seen today, for example in the public’s attitude toward pesticide use in agriculture (due in good measure to Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring), in the ways we attempt to manage agricultural pests (e.g., Integrated Pest Management) and in some of our environmental and agricultural policies (e.g., creation