Environment-friendly corn variety shows promising results in field trials

The adoption of an environment-friendly transgenic corn variety by local corn farmers could potentially increase their average yield by as much as 40 percent while significantly helping protect the environment from toxic insecticides.

This was the finding reported by leading international agriculture research firm Monsanto following early results from its wet season field trials based on comparative performance data by the biotech corn variety YieldGard and traditional hybrid corn lines.

Monsanto developed YieldGard using the biotechnology process, which enables the variety to possess natural resistance to certain kinds of corn pests. This characteristic resulted in a significantly reduced insecticide application requirement for farms planted with the biotech variety.

Art Baria, head of regulatory affairs of agricultural research leader Monsanto, said that on average farm prices of corn at P6 per kilo, the average 20 to 40 percent yield advantage of YieldGard "could give our Filipino corn farmers a potential additional income of P5,000 to P10,000 per hectare per harvest."

Baria said the early test results also showed a correlation between the level of corn borer infestation and the resulting crop yield. The Asiatic Corn Borer is the deadliest plague faced by local corn crops, especially in Mindanao. The region has been dubbed "corn borer haven" because of the widespread presence of the pest in its farms.

Baria also disclosed that, across the six trial sites, yield benefits from YieldGard increased dramatically as levels of corn borer infestation increase.

"In areas where the level of infestation is not so high, there is also an average 10 percent increase in yield," he added.

"This would still mean an additional P3,000 per hectare going to the farmer’s pocket every harvest," he explained.

Stark contrast

Baria also reported the obvious difference in the physical appearance of YieldGard corn and the traditional variety.

"YieldGard corn showed almost zero corn borer damage throughout the field trials," he said. The harvested corn ears had better physical qualities, which is important to farmers, he pointed out. Corn borers destroy the stem, leaves and corn ears even before the crop is harvested. The resistance to the pest accounts for the better physical appearance of the biotech variety.

Higher market value is not the only advantage offered by better corn ears. Baria explained healthy corn ears are also better protected from fungal infection.

"Fungus attacks insect-damaged corn ears which lead to a higher rate of rotting and mycotoxin contamination," he added.

Safety assured

The increased harvest and environmental protection advantages offered by the biotech corn variety come amid assurances that YieldGard pose no safety hazards both to livestock and humans.

"All commercially released biotech plants and plant products have undergone and passed rigid food and feed safety tests," Baria explained. Even the genes used in genetically modified crops, including YieldGard, went through rigid tests, he added.

Baria said so far, allegations that some GMOs carry allergens "have largely been substantiated." GMO corn, cotton and soya crops are already widely used in the US, Canada, South Africa and Latin America. Asian countries such as China, Thailand, Indonesia and India are rapidly adopting the technology to agriculture.

The recent passage of the Commercialization Guidelines on Biotechnology opens the doors to modern agricultural practices. The signing came as the result of extensive consultations with all sectors, including government, NGOs, the church, food and feed industry, farmer groups and the scientific community. With a regulatory system in place, this will align the Philippines with countries such as the United States, Canada, Japan, Argentina, Indonesia, China, among others, in promoting the advantages, and the safe and responsible use of modern biotechnology. The testing of biotech crops in the Philippines is done under the strictest conditions, Baria said.

Baria said he hopes the biotech corn variety "could be made commercially available soonest." In addition to bigger income for farmers, the variety could also help decrease the country’s dependence on imported corn. The Philippines imports an average of 300,000 to 500,000 metric tons of corn from other countries annually.