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Biotech / Medical : Monsanto Co. -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Anthony Wong who wrote (2150)	6/8/1999 1:22:00 PM
From: Dan Spillane	Read Replies (6) \| Respond to of 2539

The caterpillars wouldn't want to eat pollen anyway, according to this scientist: * Jeremy Rifkin (Commentary, June 1) took a giant leap by suggesting that a laboratory study with monarch butterflies justifies a worldwide ban on agricultural biotechnology. The study showed that when monarch caterpillars eat enough pollen from corn containing a bacterial gene, they can be adversely affected. However, the study also showed that caterpillars apparently don't like to eat corn pollen, with or without the gene. In the laboratory, the caterpillars had no choice during four days of observation. Two groups were fed milkweed covered with pollen (genetically modified or normal) and another had undusted leaves. Caterpillars on the plain milkweed started eating sooner and ate more leaves than either group that had to eat pollen. This suggests that in their natural setting the monarchs would steer clear of pollen on their only food--milkweed leaves. Caterpillars should have no trouble avoiding corn pollen in their natural environment. Milkweeds have many large leaves and tend to grow in clumps. If the top leaves were dusted by windblown pollen, the caterpillars could simply feed on lower leaves or move to another plant. Furthermore, monarchs prefer mature milkweeds, which are more commonly found in ditches, forest edges and stream banks remote from production fields. In nature, timing is everything. For any harm to occur, the caterpillars have to be present during the brief time when corn is pollinating. They have to consume the pollen before rain washes it away. WARREN DOUGLAS STEVENS PhD, Senior Curator Missouri Botanical Garden St. Louis latimes.com