GM herbicide-tolerant crops could benefit the environment

In the first piece of research into how genetically modified (GM) herbicide-tolerant crops could be used to benefit the environment, scientists have shown that creative use of GM crops could bring back increasing numbers of endangered wildlife and birds such as skylarks and finches in the UK.

The work - at Broom's Barn Research Station in Suffolk, eastern England - suggests that GM herbicide-tolerant crops could be a powerful tool in developing sustainable farming systems in the future.

The research is based on a new weed-management system for GM sugar beet, demonstrating that weeds can be retained for longer without affecting the crop yield. The weeds and associated insects provide vital food and habitats for the farmland birds and other wildlife which have dramatically declined as a result of intensive farming systems.

Research station director Dr John Pidgeon said: "Frequent spraying destroys the weeds on which the insects and birds feed, but our system means we can reduce the amount of spraying and allow weeds between the rows to flourish in summer without affecting yield. Our method could easily be applied to other row crops.

"We are excited about our results because this is the first time research has shown that GM herbicide-tolerant crops can be managed for environmental benefit. This marks a vital contribution to the GM debate which until now has been largely focused on fears of possible negative impact. The environmental benefits are particularly important for the UK and the rest of Europe, where around 80% of the land is farmed."