AGRICULTURE REPORT - Study of a Biotech Plant Finds Pollen C

AGRICULTURE REPORT - Study of a Biotech Plant Finds Pollen¹ Can Travel Farther than Thought
By Mario Ritter

Broadcast: Tuesday, October 05, 2004

This is Gwen Outen with the VOA Special English Agriculture Report.

Wind plays an important part in the reproduction of many crops. In some cases, though, the effect can be surprising. A study recently appeared in the Proceedings² of the National Academy of Sciences. This study involved a genetically⁵ engineered kind of grass.

Scientists found that pollen from the grass spread up to twenty one kilometers to fertilize⁶ other grasses. This was true of plants grown for the experiment. The scientists say they found similar evidence of gene³ flow in wild plants up to fourteen kilometers away. Earlier studies of genetically engineered plants had found pollination⁷ at distances of one kilometer or less.

Scientists from the United States Environmental Protection Agency led the new study in the state of Oregon. The team planted a kind of grass engineered to resist RoundUp, a poison that kills weeds.

Two companies, Monsanto and Scotts, developed this kind of creeping bentgrass for use on golf courses. Scotts also wants to market the grass for home use. There are concerns that the genetically engineered bentgrass could pass its chemical resistance genes⁸ to wild grasses or weeds.

In Hawaii, some fruit growers face a similar issue that involves papaya trees. These growers do not use chemicals or biotechnology. But tests have found genetically engineered seeds in their papayas. The organic growers say this is the result of pollen from genetically engineered papaya trees on nearby farms. Those trees were designed to resist a virus that was destroying Hawaii's papaya crop.

Now, the industry has come back to life. But the New York Times told how one organic grower reacted after tests showed that some of his fruit contained the genetically engineered seeds. He cut down all one hundred seventy of his trees. He has planted new ones, although the same thing could happen again.

Some plant scientists say farmers should not worry too much about problems from so-called genetic⁴ pollution. They say plants do not easily pass genetic qualities to other organisms in the wild. They say this is especially true of a single quality, like resistance to chemicals.

Still, the age-old spread of pollen in the wind is a modern issue in the debate over biotechnology.

This VOA Special English Agriculture Report was written by Mario Ritter. This is Gwen Outen.

1 pollen   

n.[植]花粉

参考例句：

• Hummingbirds have discovered that nectar and pollen are very nutritious.蜂鸟发现花蜜和花粉是很有营养的。
• He developed an allergy to pollen.他对花粉过敏。

2 proceedings   

n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报

参考例句：

• He was released on bail pending committal proceedings. 他交保获释正在候审。
• to initiate legal proceedings against sb 对某人提起诉讼

3 gene   

n.遗传因子，基因

参考例句：

• A single gene may have many effects.单一基因可能具有很多种效应。
• The targeting of gene therapy has been paid close attention.其中基因治疗的靶向性是值得密切关注的问题之一。

4 genetic   

adj.遗传的，遗传学的

参考例句：

• It's very difficult to treat genetic diseases.遗传性疾病治疗起来很困难。
• Each daughter cell can receive a full complement of the genetic information.每个子细胞可以收到遗传信息的一个完全补偿物。

5 genetically   

adv.遗传上

参考例句：

• All the bees in the colony are genetically related. 同一群体的蜜蜂都有亲缘关系。
• Genetically modified foods have already arrived on American dinner tables. 经基因改造加工过的食物已端上了美国人的餐桌。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 基因与食物

6 fertilize   

v.使受精，施肥于，使肥沃

参考例句：

• Fertilizer is a substance put on land to fertilize it.肥料是施在地里使之肥沃的物质。
• Reading will fertilize his vocabulary.阅读会丰富他的词汇。

7 pollination   

n.授粉

参考例句：

• The flowers get pollination by insects.这些花通过昆虫授粉。
• Without sufficient pollination,the growth of the corn is stunted.没有得到充足的授粉，谷物的长势就会受阻。

8 genes   

n.基因( gene的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• You have good genes from your parents, so you should live a long time. 你从父母那儿获得优良的基因，所以能够活得很长。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Differences will help to reveal the functions of the genes. 它们间的差异将会帮助我们揭开基因多种功能。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 生物技术的世纪