My proposition is to exterminate opium poppy using an new virus developed by genic engineering,is it possible?

Answer 1

You do realize that real medicine is made from Poppy right? Its not all for opium and heroin. You can make, amongst other things, Morphine. There are probably dozens if not hundreds of legitimate uses for poppy.

Answer 2

No.

1) Nobody knows how to put together a successful virus "from scratch". We don't know the right combination of genes to stick together to make a novel virus, so you're much better off starting off with an existing virus and hoping to adapt it to your needs.

2) Assuming you find such a virus it would take decades of research to understand what mutations to make to cause the virus to use poppy as a host, and to cause it to kill that host.

3) Assuming you can pull those fantastic tricks out of your hat, you still lose, because viruses are obligate parasites. If they kill thier hosts they are a dead end, unless you can simultaneously inoculate every poppy in the world simultaneously. You'd be far better off looking for a virus that doesn't kill the poppy, but prevents it from flowering.

Answer 3

It is possible, but not bright. Why not make it so the poppy just stops producing opiates? Poppies still fill a natural niche.

Answer 4

Poppy is the livelihood of Afghans

Answer 5

of course it is, my proposition is to exterminate you. im sure i would have a good following.

Answer 6

um probably, but you'd probably damage the ecological system badly. other things (besides people) depend on those plants