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Case studies: A hard look at GM crops

Nature volume 497, pages 24–26 (2013)Cite this article

Subjects

Superweeds? Suicides? Stealthy genes? The true, the false and the still unknown about transgenic crops.

In the pitched debate over genetically modified (GM) foods and crops, it can be hard to see where scientific evidence ends and dogma and speculation begin. In the nearly 20 years since they were first commercialized, GM crop technologies have seen dramatic uptake. Advocates say that they have increased agricultural production by more than US$98 billion and saved an estimated 473 million kilograms of pesticides from being sprayed. But critics question their environmental, social and economic impacts.

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Authors
  1. Natasha Gilbert
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Related links in Nature Research

Transgenic grass skirts regulators 2011-Jul-20

Food: Inside the hothouses of industry 2010-Jul-28

GM crops: Battlefield 2009-Sep-02

Nature special: GM crops

Related external links

International Survey of Herbicide Resistant Weeds

Monsanto

Dow Agricultural

The Union of Concerned Scientists

International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications

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Gilbert, N. Case studies: A hard look at GM crops. Nature 497, 24–26 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/497024a

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