Transgenic Crops

Transgenic Crops describes the basics of genetic modification for agricultural purposes and a brief history of the technology and the governing policies surrounding it. This publication offers a brief overview of the main agricultural crops that have been genetically modified, the characteristics they express, and the market roles they play. Unintended consequences, economic considerations, and safety concerns surrounding the cultivation and dissemination of transgenic crops are also discussed. Biopharmaceutical aspects of transgenic crops are also briefly addressed. Economic, legal, and management concerns associated with these types of crops are addressed, as well as political and regulatory aspects. Implications of transgenic technologies for sustainable agriculture are briefly addressed along with concluding remarks. References and resources follow the narrative

Field Crops Data

Tables cover acreage, yield, production, stocks, prices, and related data. Includes tables on grains, food and fiber crops, soybeans and cowpeas, hay, and field seeds.published or submitted for publicationnot peer reviewe

Circular, No. 4

Many requests for information regarding the best varieties of field crops for interior Alaska have been received by the Alaska Agricultural Experiment Stations. Field crops have- been tested by the stations in the interior for a number of years. The purpose of this circular is to discuss briefly the history, characteristics, and field performance of varieties of grain, legumes, grasses, root crops, and potatoes that have been found to be best adapted to local conditions.Introduction -- Grain crops -- Legumes -- Grasses -- Root crops -- Potatoe

European energy crops: A synthesis

The European Energy Crops Overview (EECO) project was carried out with 20 partners from fourteen EU countries during 1996. The EECO-project provides the state-of-the-art on energy crops activities in Europe. More than 30 potential energy crop species have been investigated in Europe, but only a few have achieved commercial status so far. The introduction of energy crops in agriculture is relatively easy in the case of well-known agricultural crops such as rape and grain crops, but new crops are hampered by both technical and non-technical barriers. Production, pre-treatment and use of woody and herbaceous energy crops for power and heat generation is still mainly in the pilot to demonstration phase, while use of sugar and oil rich crops for transport purposes has been developed at a commercial scale already. Production, pre-treatment and use of SRC is fully developed in Sweden and in the pilot to demonstration phase in the north-west European countries. Herbaceous crops are tested up to a large scale in the Scandinavian countries, Germany, Austria and the Netherlands. Biodiesel is produced on a commercial scale in France, Germany, Austria and Italy, while bioethanol is produced at a commercial scale in France. In southern Europe, emphasis is on the production aspects of energy crops; only a limited number of efforts on use of energy crops have been realized so far

National Trends on Agricultural Crops Production: Cluster Analysis

Staring from descriptive data on crop production and cultivated area at national level during on fifteen years, the aim of this study is to reveal the trends on crops cultivation. The cluster analysis reveals linkages between crops classes as well as between different crops, which can be partly assigned to crops rotation. Time series analysis reveals dramatically reducing of production of some crops, such as flax, hemp, and sugar beet, and increasing of production, such at sunflower, and increasing of productivity, such at potatoes and field vegetables

Forage Crops in Alaska

The foregoing report was reprinted from Alaska’s Agriculture and Forestry, Alaska Rural Development Council Publication No. 3, and the pagination has been changed. Alaska’s Agriculture and Forestry was published in December 1983 by Cooperative Extension Service, University of Alaska and U.S. Department of Agriculture Cooperating, Fairbanks, Alaska. Some of the information in this report represents contributions from research programs of other present and past Alaska Agricultural Experiment Station staff scientists, as indicated by text citations of numbered title s of publications in the reference list above. Foremost among these investigators are R. L. Taylor, W. W. Mitchell, A. L. Brundage, J. D. McKendrick, H. J. Hodgson, and A. C.Wilton.Forage crops can be defined as the aboveground growth (stems, leaves, and sometimes seed heads and immature seeds) of plants that are gathered and fed to herbivorous, domestic animals. Similar plant growth that is grazed directly by livestock in rotational or permanent pastures, but on a less extensive basis than rangelands, is also considered in this discussion. For the most part, forage crops are herbaceous (nonwoody) members of two large plant families—grasses and legumes. The grass family world-wide numbers about 5,000 species, but only about three dozen of these are important as forages. The legume family includes more than 12,000 species world-wide, fewer than 20 of which are considered to be important forage crops

Seeds of Doubt: North American farmers' experiences of GM crops

The picture the biotechnology industry has painted of GM crops in North America is one of unqualified success, after six years of commercial growing. The objective of this report was to assess whether this image is accurate and if not what problems have occurred. We present interviews with North American farmers about their experiences of GM soya, maize and oilseed rape, and review of some of the independent research. The evidence we have gathered demonstrates that GM food crops are far from a success story. In complete contrast to the impression given by the biotechnology industry, it is clear that they have not realised most of the claimed benefits and have been a practical and economic disaster. Widespread GM contamination has severely disrupted GM-free production including organic farming, destroyed trade and undermined the competitiveness of North American agriculture overall. GM crops have also increased the reliance of farmers on herbicides and led to many legal problems. Six years after the first commercial growing of GM crops, the use of genetic engineering in global agriculture is still limited. Only four countries including the US and Canada grow 99 per cent of the GM crops grown worldwide, and just four crops account for 99 per cent of the global area planted to GM crops. In the UK, we have a choice over whether to remain GM-free. Our findings show that GM crops would obstruct the government from meeting its policy objective that farming should become more competitive and meet consumer requirements. It would also prevent it from honouring its public commitment to ensure that the expansion of organic farming is not undermined by the introduction of GM crops. The Soil Association believes this report will contribute towards a more balanced and realistic debate on the likely impacts of GM crops on farming in the UK and assist an informed decision on the commercialisation of GM crops

Brassicas limited in weed control

This article discusses the limitations of using brassica cover crops for weed control. A brief overview of the role of cover crops is provided, followed by a short review of research looking at brassica cover crops