When you enter the office of Soybean Research Institute of the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation, you can see the sign of “Biosafety” hangs on the doors of many laboratories. The personnel entering these laboratories need to sign to ensure that they do not touch the experimental materials here Here is the place for genetically modified seeds research.
Brazil is one of the countries with the most cultivation of genetically modified crops in the world, but the government of Brazil has strict rules on the use of genetically modified technology. Brazilian law requires that genetically modified crops have to be safe, and research and commercial planting need to go through a series of processes. For example, genetically modified research also needs to be strictly segregated.
José Renato Bossas, director of the Soybean Research Institute of Agricultural Research, said: “Since the introduction of GM technology into Brazil, we have been conducting follow-up research to ensure that products are not harmful to human health while government agencies and enterprises All need to control the outflow of genetic material, and control access to staff and appliances in all laboratories and experimental fields to avoid “genetic contamination” between seeds. ”
In addition, new varieties of soybeans need to be planted in the agricultural research company’s experimental field before being certified. Before they are planted in their own farms, the seeds are also sent to pilot farms in cooperatives in various regions to continue the trial planting.
Lucas Simas de Oliveira, manager of the experimental farm for the cooperative breeding camp of Campo Murangos, said that after the certification of the seed, the specific yield will be higher for the new seed and the previous planting method Different, cooperatives will guide. Especially soil management and pest control tests. Cooperative societies simulate the ecological environment of nearby farms. Through the annual winter and summer conferences of cooperatives, the cultivation techniques of new varieties will be taught to local farmers.
It is reported that although transgenic technology entered Brazil in 1998, most of the farmers started planting the first generation of genetically modified soybeans around 2005; 80% of the soybeans in Brazil now use the second generation of transgenic technologies starting in 2013; and third On behalf of transgenic technology has been the final study in the laboratory, the United States to provide this technology Monsanto hope to be certified this year, by 2020 for commercial cultivation.
In spite of this, the seed development companies will also open up a small experimental field on some farms to observe the growth and harvest of genetically modified soybeans on the ground.
Reporters learned that SAC’s soybean planting program also includes a non-GMO soybean program and in July 2017 a non-GMO Soybean Research Institute was established to specialize in techniques for increasing yield of non-GMO soybeans.
Bossas said maintaining conventional soybean planting is a sine qua non for genetically modified soybeans. Brazilian law stipulates that each farm that produces GM soybeans must have at least 20% non-GMO soybeans designed to act as a “shelter” that allows weeds, pests to survive and will not quickly become more resistant .
Keeping non-GMO soybeans in Brazil is not just a measure to ensure that “super weeds” and “super worms” are not rapidly formed in the GM soybeans. Brazil also sees the demand for non-GMO soybeans in Europe and China.
“Although we have been upgrading our agricultural science and technology and cultivating GM varieties, we know that non-GMO soybeans still have a large international market, especially in China and Europe, so we are proud to say that, , We will always keep the cultivation of non-genetically modified soybeans. “
