Global impact of biotech crops: Environmental effects 1996-2009

Abstract

This article updates the assessment of the impact commercialized agricultural biotechnology is having on global agriculture from an environmental perspective. It focuses on the impact of changes in pesticide use and greenhouse gas emissions arising from the use of biotech crops. The technology has reduced pesticide spraying by 352 million kg (-8.4%) and, as a result, decreased the environmental impact associated with herbicide and insecticide use on these crops (as measured by the indicator the environmental impact quotient) by 16.3%. The technology has also significantly reduced the release of greenhouse gas emissions from this cropping area, which, in 2008, was equivalent to removing 6.9 million cars from the roads.

How do "imagined farmers" negotiate actual risks? Biosafety trade-offs in Bt cotton production in Andhra Pradesh, India

“…Another unanticipated effect explored in the interviews is a change in cropping patterns in all five of the Bt growing villages in Warangal District -also noted in Brookes and Barfoot (2009). These farmers reported that the Bt cotton-growing season was shorter than when they grew conventional hybrids, affording them two extra months, which they now all use to grow an additional crop of maize.…”

Introductory Chapter: Actual Issues (Moments) in Herbicide Resistance Weeds and Crops

“…Since 1996, herbicide-resistant crops (HRCs) have had a major effect on agriculture, particularly in the United States of America, Brazil, Argentina, and Canada [18]. The introduction of HRCs in the United States of America, for example, helped solve a major weed-management problem that was developing at that time-the evolution of weeds resistant to the acetolactate synthase (ALS)-inhibiting and protoporphyrinogen oxidase (PPO)-inhibiting Herbicide Resistance in Weeds and Cropsherbicides [19].…”

“…Long-term differences have had an affirmative environmental issue by diminishing soil erosion [21], fueling the needs for soil cultivation [22], and numbering herbicides with groundwater advisories [23], leading to a slight reduction in the overall environmental impact quotient of herbicide use [24,25]. Because of the adoption of herbicide-resistant crops, conservation tillage used in crop production has increased [18,26,27], and the volume of herbicides used in HRCs has decreased [28]. Finally, the effect on soil and plant microbial populations has not been shown to be a potential environmental risk [29,30].…”

Soya, Human Nutrition and Health

“…Many independent studies have been published demonstrating the positive agro-economic impact and socio-environmental effects of biotech crops, including GM soy, in different parts of the world (Brookes & Barfoot, 2009;Carpenter, 2010;James, 2010;Park et al, 2011;Trigo & Cap, 2006). In most countries GM soy accounts for the largest share of benefits, mainly due to the fact that soy bean is the major biotech crop with the largest percentage of acreage.…”