Corn Pollen Drifts Further than Thought

@griculture Online 29sep03

Results of an Iowa State University project examining the distance corn pollen travels to breed neighboring corn surprised researchers. Yellow corn planted near purple popcorn developed a large number of purple kernels, but purple kernels were found in neighboring corn as far as 1,600 feet away.

IMPLICATIONS

Please read the warnings of Percy Schmeiser, a Canadian canola farmer who Monsanto sued. Here, Percy is paraphrasing the ruling of the judge in the Monsanto case against him. This is all a matter of public record. For the full text, please see Heartbreak In The Heartland

[He said] it didn't matter how Monsanto's genetically altered canola got into my field. And then he went on to specify that whether it cross pollinated or if it blew in by the wind, by birds, bees, animals, or falling off a farmers truck, a combine and so on, it didn't matter. The fact that there were some plants there, I had violated Monsanto's patent, even though I didn't want it in my field.
[A]ny farmer that has a regular conventional plant, it doesn't matter what kind of a plant, if it's a tree, if it's a seed, and it gets cross pollinated with Monsanto’s gene against your wishes, and destroys your property, my [sic] plant becomes Monsanto's property.
[T]he fact that I never used Monsanto’s patent - which means I never used Monsanto’s Roundup Ready herbicide or glyphosate on my crop - he ruled, “that’s immaterial.” He said the fact was that there were some plants there.

Researchers planted a strip of purple popcorn within a 15-acre field of standard yellow corn. Separation distances of 30 to 150 feet were cut out of the yellow corn to represent the range of buffer strips recommended by the industry. As expected, the yellow corn near the popcorn developed the largest number of purple kernels. However, researchers were surprised to find purple kernels developed in the entire test plot.

The popcorn pollen also infiltrated a nearby field of a standard yellow corn that was planted 19 days earlier. Purple kernels developed in that field every 100 feet up to 1,600 feet from the popcorn plants. Weather was monitored during pollination to investigate the relationship of pollen drift and prevailing winds.

The results of thee research project will be on display at noon, October 3 at the Allee Farm, an Iowa State University (ISU) research and demonstration farm near Newell. The program includes a free lunch.

Agronomist Mark Westgate will discuss corn physiology with regard to pollination and unintended crossbreeding. Tom Olsen, ISU Extension farm business specialist, will explain the project's rationale and the economic considerations of drift and contamination. Lyle Rossiter, Allee Farm superintendent, will summarize current Allee Farm research and answer production questions.

For directions to the research farm visit: http://www.ag.iastate.edu/farms/allee.html

source: http://www.agriculture.com/default.sph/AgNews.class?FNC=goDetail__ANewsindex_html___50672___1 28oct03

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