{"id":254674,"date":"2023-08-03T21:21:53","date_gmt":"2023-08-03T15:51:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.forumias.com\/?p=254674"},"modified":"2023-08-29T17:02:46","modified_gmt":"2023-08-29T11:32:46","slug":"forest-law-amendments-rich-in-rhetoric-poor-in-substance-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/forest-law-amendments-rich-in-rhetoric-poor-in-substance-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Forest law amendments: Rich in rhetoric, poor in substance"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Source<\/strong>– The post is based on the article \u201cForest law amendments: Rich in rhetoric, poor in substance\u201d <\/strong>published in \u201cThe Indian Express\u201d <\/strong>on 2nd August 2023<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Syllabus: <\/strong>GS3- Environment. GS3- Science and Technology<\/p>\n

News<\/strong>– A new genetically modified (GMO) corn varietal called \u2018smart corn\u2019 has been introduced by Bayer. This is designed to withstand the increasingly costly pressures of climate change.<\/p>\n

What are some facts related to GMO corn developed by Bayer?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Bayer genetically engineered the corn plant by introducing a foreign gene<\/strong> that suppresses the production of gibberellic acid, a plant growth hormone<\/strong>. As a result, the corn can now produce the same quantity of fruit on significantly shorter and stronger stalks.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Purpose<\/strong>– It is specifically developed to combat environmental challenges. <\/strong><\/p>\n

Climate change has led to more severe and costly damage<\/strong> to corn and soy crops due to intensifying high-wind storms<\/strong>. In the United States, these storms are known as derechos<\/strong>. They have caused immense devastation<\/strong> to farms in the Midwest.<\/p>\n

In 2020 alone, with winds reaching 160 kmph, they caused billions of dollars worth of destruction across millions of acres of crops.<\/p>\n

As a result, there is a growing demand for a crop variety characterized by shorter and thicker stalks<\/strong>, providing better resistance<\/strong> against these high-wind storms.<\/p>\n

What are other recent notable crop varieties designed for climate adaptation?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Last year, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted approval for HB4. It is a novel wheat variety<\/strong> developed to withstand drought condition<\/strong>s.<\/p>\n

It was achieved through the incorporation of a gene sourced from a sunflower<\/strong>. This wheat variety is pioneered by the Argentine company Bioceres.<\/strong><\/p>\n

In a recent development, Nutrien, <\/strong>a prominent fertilizer company, revealed its intentions to distribute a new genetically modified soybean created by the startup ZeaKal Inc.<\/strong><\/p>\n

This genetically modified soybean includes a foreign gene that enhances photosynthesis<\/strong>. It enables the crop to capture more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.<\/p>\n

What are issues related to newly developed GM crops like smart corn?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

This innovative adaptation <\/strong>allows policymakers, investors, and voters to evade the core issue of climate change<\/strong>. While new approaches to adapt to the climate crisis are appreciated, they should tackle the problem at its source.<\/strong><\/p>\n

These innovations cannot completely solve all climate-related challenges faced by farmers.<\/p>\n

Bayer’s smart corn may not be sufficient to overcome problems caused by derechos, which can bring heavy rains<\/strong> leading to machinery sinking in the fields.<\/p>\n

Additionally, excessive rainfall can saturate plant roots<\/strong>. It will cause them to rot and perish, <\/strong>regardless of the corn’s height.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Moreover, there is the issue of rising temperatures<\/strong>. Future agriculture will require plants engineered not only for wind resistance<\/strong> but also for resilience to drought, heat, and floods. <\/strong><\/p>\n

Way forward-<\/strong><\/p>\n

These plants must be capable of enduring changing seasons, temperature fluctuations, and invasive pests<\/strong>. The crops of tomorrow won’t rely on just one foreign gene<\/strong>. But, they will need a multitude of genetic modifications.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Source– The post is based on the article \u201cForest law amendments: Rich in rhetoric, poor in substance\u201d published in \u201cThe Indian Express\u201d on 2nd August 2023. Syllabus: GS3- Environment. GS3- Science and Technology News– A new genetically modified (GMO) corn varietal called \u2018smart corn\u2019 has been introduced by Bayer. This is designed to withstand the… Continue reading Forest law amendments: Rich in rhetoric, poor in substance<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10320,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1230,9],"tags":[59,216,10500],"class_list":["post-254674","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-9-pm-daily-articles","category-public","tag-environment","tag-gs-paper-3","tag-indian-express","entry"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","views":{"total":0,"cached_at":"","cached_date":1700037963},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/254674","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10320"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=254674"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/254674\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=254674"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=254674"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=254674"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}