What is the major concern with inserting genes into crops that makes them resistant to herbicides?

Answer 1

its because we are just at the beginning to understand this technology and noone can really be sure these changes won't interact at a level we not foresee.
i think if we do that in a laboratory we learn about that, but if its produced and being put into the shelfs of a supermarket its like being part of an experiment, where others do have there profits from.
and if you ask me.. i don't like to be a part of an experiment, and if so .. i would like to get asked before
basically i think the technology should be developped to excelleny, cause it would solve alot of problems, but in my opinion if we not yet completly figured our own anatomy, like solving cancer or aids for example, how can we be sure that such manipulations create a situation which runs out of control ?

i think here we have another situation where something is done for profit reasons, and we are going to get involved without being asked. why not do it like they develop linux ? starting with non-profit, working without profit in mind, and everybody can participate on his/her own will, na ?

Answer 2

Many commercial crops are derived from ancestors that could now be regarded as "weeds". This has been done by selectively breeding "better" forms of the original - these "better" characteristics being defined as useful to man rather than useful to the plant species' survival. The weed is generally "stronger" than the crop plant and genetic engineering, with no guarantee of zero gene transfer between the GM crop and the natural weed, might merely infer an even greater genetic advantage upon the weed variety to the increased detriment of the desired plant.

Answer 3

You got your question wrong. You wouldn't want to make crops resistant to herbicides. You use genetic therapy and herbicides to control the pests that mess the crops up.

Anyway, the only problem is that some people get all whacked out of their skull and think that genetic manipulation could lead to potential sickness in humans that eat it.

GMO = genetically modified organism

Also, when you do this, plants are no longer "organic." And people get mad cuz the GMO's crops can breed with non-GMO'd crops... leading to GMO'd offspring.

So are there really any problems with it? Who knows. Probably not.

Damn hippys.

Answer 4

Well, herbicides kill plants so if we make crops immune to things that can kill them then if the case ever arises that we need to kill them, we are left with fewer options.