Carbon Commentary · The Rothamsted battle

Another Item in the GMO Pundit British Wheat war series:
This and more at The Carbon Commentary:

The main benefit from the genetic modification [in the Rothamsted wheat trial] may be the reduction in the need to use synthetic insecticides. In the UK about three quarters of all wheat has an insecticide applied, according to the last government survey. Most of these fields have synthetic pyrethroids sprayed onto the crop. Artificial pyrethoids are similar to the natural insect repellent in plants such as chrysanthemums. These insecticides work by affecting the sodium ‘gates’ in organisms and are particularly destructive to insects and to aquatic animals. These insecticides are only toxic to mammals in extremely high doses and their short life means that they are regarded as relatively safe. But they destroy all insects, including the predators of wheat-destroying aphids and so tend to diminish biodiversity....Carbon Commentary · The Rothamsted battle:

Hat tip to Mark Lynas