David's copy of the Yahoo! story: World Ag Researchers Spurn Crops With 'Terminator Genes'

This was: http://dailynews.yahoo.com/headlines/sc/story.html?s=v/nm/19981102/sc/terminator_2.html

World Ag Researchers Spurn Crops With 'Terminator Genes'

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Scientists at the world's largest agricultural research network, who focus on feeding the poor, will not develop crops with ``terminator genes'' that produce sterile seeds, the network's leaders decided Friday.

Crops with such ``suicidal tendencies'' would be a nightmare in the developing world, where farmers, as a matter of course, retain part of each harvest as seed for next year, said Ismail Serageldin, chairman of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research.

``If you didn't know (about the seeds), you would be wiped out,'' Serageldin said at a news conference.

The Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research, with its network of 16 research centers around the world, specializes in crops and livestock useful to small-scale farmers in developing nations. It is funded by the World Bank, the United Nations, foundations and dozens of nations.

The ``terminator gene'' technology, an offshoot of genetic engineering, has stirred debate over how far plant breeders should go to protect their unique varieties.

Critics say terminator genes force farmers to buy expensive seed annually.

On the final day of a semi-annual meeting, the leaders of this research network adopted as a guiding principle language that their system ``will not include in its breeding materials any genes designed to prevent'' seeds from germinating.

``This is a line of research that is clearly motivated by commercial gain,'' said Serageldin, who also is a World Bank vice president.

He said the group preferred to focus on high-yielding, disease-resistant plant varieties that retain their vigor for generations -- a boon to poor farmers who cannot afford to buy seed and whose best hope for higher income is to boost output.

Donors provided about $340 million for the network this year and pledged the same amount for 1999. As part of the semi-annual meeting, the network's leaders decided to try to diversify funding sources by seeking private-sector support.

Earlier Stories

World Ag Researchers Spurn 'Terminator' Genes (November 2)

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