Herbicide resistant weeds may affect growth of GMO crops

Monsanto and other transnational companies engaged in developing herbicide-tolerant corn are bracing for the rise of herbicide-resistant weeds in fields planted with GMO corn.

A recent report by the US National Research Council (NRC) showed that these weeds developed alongside Roundup Ready corn that Monsanto had been promoting worldwide, including the Philippines.

GMO corn produces more biofuel per ear and are genetically altered to carry more nutrients for feeds since yellow corn is the focus of developers of biotech crops.

The rise of herbicide-resistant weeds would certainly hinder the ability of Monsantos Roundup Ready corn to produce more in fields dominated by weeds that could not be effectively controlled by glyphosate, a benign herbicide developed by the company itself.

Before biotech crops were introduced, there were no known glyphosate-resistant weeds in the planet.

This development practically vindicates the claim of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) that nature and pests would find a way to battle biotech crops.