Drought-tolerant seeds coming in few months

[phantom power]

BOONE, Iowa – The holy grail of seed companies — drought-tolerant corn — will reach farmers in the next few months, offering hope should record hot, dry summers return.

The new seed lines were popular attractions at the DuPont Pioneer, Monsanto and Syngenta exhibits early last week at the Farm Progress Show in Boone. The show displays the latest technology in agriculture.

Drought tolerance will be the latest gee-whiz addition to seed offerings, going beyond the pest and weed resistance made commonplace by the genetic biotech revolution. Iowa yields have increased around 35% to 40% since the late 1980s, helping satisfy a greater demand for corn for food, feed and fuel.

The new seeds won't completely erase the impact of drought. The companies limit their claim to yield increases of 5% to 15% above what non-drought tolerant corn would yield in the kind of heat Iowa endured this summer.

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/food/story/2012-09-03/drought-tolerant-seeds/57480902/1

[bunnies]

1. How long until monsanto controlls our ENTIRE food supply?

This is bullshit.

[NickB79]

2. I see no one's addressing poor pollination due to high heat

Drought was just part of the picture for this year's horrible farming season. Even with adequate moisture, crop yields would still be down due to the fact that corn pollination rates plummet when temperatures get into the 90's and 100's for weeks at a time. And with climate change progressing at a breakneck speed, we'll only be seeing more of these hot, hot summers in the future.

I guess this will help make silage for the cattle though

[Speck Tater]

3. So when drought wipes out 50% of the crop...

we can get back 5% to 15% of that loss. Well then, I guess we don't have a problem after all.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled program Denial as Usual followed by an all new episode of Technology Will Fix Everything at 8:30.

[Nihil]

4. Very telling ...

... that this was at http: //www.usatoday.com/money/blah/blah...

And also the comment
> Drought tolerance will be the latest gee-whiz addition to seed offerings, ...
> ... helping satisfy a greater demand for corn for food, feed and fuel.


(I also agree completely with the three previous replies on the thread.)