GM Crops for Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Rick Roush

Melbourne School of Land & Environment

Global area of GM crops (www.isaaa.org)

Current Transgenic Crops• Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) cotton,

corn

• Herbicide Tolerance (soy, corn, cotton, canola) and hybrids

• Virus resistance, e.g., papaya on Hawaii

(Viruses otherwise often controlled by sprays for insect vectors)

Bt Cotton: 70-90% reduction in insecticide use in USA and Aus

75%-80% reduction in sprays and poisonings in China

Farm Benefits of Transgenic Crops

• Reduction in (persistent) pesticide use (5-70%/crop), 350 million kg, = 40% of EU use, 16% compared to non-GM

• Increased yield, billions of kg

• $5 billion cost savings

Sources: J Fernandez-Cornejo, USDA; Brookes & Barfoot in UK

GM Crops Have Benefited Growers Everywhere Grown

• Yields, inputs, net profits and/or time in at least

some seasons

• Canadian canola: Herbicide use down 11%;

less fuel; farm income benefits of $195 million

in 2005 alone

• European Commission, Joint Research Centre

Climate Benefits of GM Crops

• Reduction in tillage

• 100 million tonnes in soil

• 9 million from reduced fuel consumption in tractors, sprayers

• 6.9 million cars

Source: Brookes & Barfoot 2008

New Scientist 5 Jan 2008“farming contributes more to global warming

than all the world's cars, trains, ships and

planes put together. And the single biggest

problem with farming is not carbon but

nitrogen…..

Although only a tiny proportion escapes into the atmosphere as nitrous oxide, it is an extremely potent greenhouse gas.”

Nitrogen Use Efficiency

Nitrogen is key for crop growth

Higher yield

Yield insurance

Less fertilizer use

Less runoff

Control With Gene

NUE Canola Yields

Nitrogen Use Efficiency

• Climate Change

Less fertilizer use, CO2

Less runoff, nitrous oxide

Adaptation

--Conservation of water

Field Trials

GM for Water Use Efficiency

Drought Tolerant Corn in Field

Reduced Leaf Temperature

With GeneWithout GeneWith Gene

Reduced Leaf Rolling

40 32oC34

Without Gene

In Field: Water Use Efficiency Genes

Key issues in ag, health and

environmental sustainability-Conservation of soil & water

quality and quantity

-Energy use, esp fossil fuels

-Reduction of pesticides

-Reduction of fertilizers in future

-Reduction of toxins/pollutants

-Economic & social systems