Tržaški astrofizik v boj proti GMO

Danes je v nytimes odličen članek o tegobah uvajanja GMO v Evropi. ZDA in EU sta v tem pogledu kot dan in noč. Medtem, ko je v ZDA več kot tri četrtine koruze, soje in sladkorne pese “gensko modifirane”, pa se je v Evropi kar nekaj področij odločilo razglasiti za “GMO-proste cone”. Kljub temu, da je Evropska komisija potrdila uporabo koruze MON810, pa npr. v Italiji kmet potrebuje še posebno dovoljenje za sajenje – ki ga do sedaj ni dobil še nihšče. Tako se je po nekaj zavrnitvah agronom Girgio Fidenato, 49, odločil zasaditi dve njivi koruze MON810. Ki pa ni dolgo zdržala, saj jo je v začetku avgusta z mačetami posekalo 100 aktivistov antiglobalistične skupine Ya Basta. Vodja skupine je Luca Tornatore, astrofizik na observatoriju Univerze v Trstu, ki sicer za služenje kruha piše simulacije o razvoju galaksij, v prostem času pa je politično aktiven antiglobalist (aretiran tudi na Kopenhagenskem vrhu lani). Kako kompleksen je problem sajenja GMO nekoliko razkrije ta odstavek

This issue is particularly sensitive in Italy, whose farmers rely heavily on specialized organic and heritage crops, like hundreds of varieties of tomatoes. Crops contaminated with genetically modified material can lose its organic designation. Farmers worry that plants with tailor-made survival genes will over time displace tastier traditional varieties.[…]

[…] Here in Vivaro, farmers are divided about the issue, said Luca Tornatore, Ya Basta spokesman and an astrophysicist from Trieste, Italy, noting that his group’s “blitz” did not allow much time for talking with local people.

Residents may not know much about the science of genetically modified crops, but they are quite familiar with the corn borer larvae; they tunnel into ears of corn, allowing funguses to fill the holes in their wake. Some of the funguses produce mycotoxins that can end up in places like the milk of corn-fed cows and have been associated with serious health problems, including cancers.

-