Here's the whole article.
The other was a possible fabrication.
Farmers ask why GM crops perform worse in drought

Farmers ask why GM crops perform worse in drought



The Network of Concerned Farmers, an alliance of farmers with concerns
regarding genetically modified crops, are calling for research to determine
why GM crops perform worse during droughts.



"There is more than enough evidence to reveal that GM crops perform worse
than non-GM crops during drought conditions but this vital information is
being ignored," said Julie Newman, National Spokesperson for the Network of
Concerned Farmers.



"Farmers worldwide have complained that GM crops perform worse than non-GM
crops during drought including GM cotton in India and Indonesia, GM soy in
the United States and Brazil and GM canola in Canada. Australian farmers
have even stated that they use an additional irrigation for GM cotton so it
appears there is evidence that GM crops need more water," she said.



"Our Federal Minister for Agriculture is making outrageous statements
wanting states to ignore economic risk and claiming we need GM crops to
counter drought when reality shows GM crops perform worse in drought.
Australia is known for adverse conditions and may be totally unsuitable for
GM crops but nobody seems to care about this vital detail."



There has recently been a significant drop in soybean production due to the
drought in Brazil. The president of the Rio Grande do Sul seed association
sites 25% higher crop losses in GE soy crops as compared with conventional
ones. Brazil's agricultural department estimates that yields are down 72%
in Rio Grande do Sul which is the biggest adopter of Monsanto's Roundup
Ready GM technology.



"Many Brazilian farmers who use Round-Up Ready soy will be thinking twice
about it next year,"

said Etienne Vernet, South American Research Director of the Polaris
Institute. Governor of Mato Grosso (25% of national soy production) has
publicly stated that he will not plant genetically modified soy next year.



Monsanto and Bayer Cropscience withdrew from the proposed independent trials
in NSW in 2004 with Bayer Cropscience stating a concern for dry conditions
as a reason. Requests for further independent testing has been denied but
Bayer Cropscience has been growing canola under irrigation for export to
Canada under special state exemption orders.

"Farmers need trials to compare GM performance during adverse conditions and
scientists need to investigate this further. Farmers have had enough of the
bulldust, we need facts."




Non-GM drought tolerant varieties of wheat are being grown in Australia.
Mrs Newman claims there are far better alternatives in non-GM biotechnology
but some scientists are more interested in attracting corporate investment
so are misleading farmers to believe all biotechnology is GM.





Contact: Julie Newman 08 98711562 or 08 98711644 or 0427 711644



At least thirty companies developing GM crops have observed DNA instability
with up to 5% disruption of overall gene expression which increased or
decreased the protein producing outputs of other genes. Does recombinant DNA
techniques destabilise the metabolism of the plant resulting in the need for
more nutrients? Does the inserted gene and perhaps other insertion-caused
“hotspots� remain hyperactive and deplete the nutrients of the plant?

On Wed, 31 Dec 2008 15:12:23 +0000, Jonno wrote:

Here's the whole article.

Thanks.
Point confirmed by both articles.

Janet Conroy wrote:
terryc;826187 Wrote:
On Mon, 29 Dec 2008 02:19:01 +0000, Jonno wrote:
-
Hmm Yes, but WHEN do you dust.
I've done everything to attract bees, and get caught out with this
stuff....
There must be a better way.-

After the tomatoes have finished flowering as the bees will not be
visiting the tomato plants.

I don't know whether this has spread to the antipodes, but the US, UK
and other parts of western Europe are suffering from "colony collapse
disorder' where huge numbers of honey bees are dying - partly due to
some mite that infests the hives. Without bees the world's food
sources would dry up in a few years. It is SO important to do nothing
that kills bees and everything we gardeners can to provide them with
lots of food sources, especially nectar-rich plants,to keep them
going.

I count myself fortunate, my pasture has clover and on a good day you can
hear the bees hum loudly. Sometimes you see posts about hand pollination, I
struggle to imagine what it is like to need to do bees' work because you
don't have enough. I take care of "my" bees though. If bees decline
worldwide we are in deep doo.

David

I was in Tassie, having been made aware of the problem of bees getting to
"bee" scarce.
Saw their imported from New Zealand bumble bees foraging in my sisters
garden.
I'm not sure what damage these are doing there, but feel their leatherwood
honey producers are very concerned.
Does anyone know what would happen on the mainland if they make their way
here?
It seems that the accidental importation (from NZ) may create a superior to
local bee, as their pollination is far more productive from what I've read,
as is their method of attack, when disturbed, as they can sting many
times....


"David Hare-Scott" wrote in message
...
Janet Conroy wrote:
terryc;826187 Wrote:
On Mon, 29 Dec 2008 02:19:01 +0000, Jonno wrote:
-
Hmm Yes, but WHEN do you dust.
I've done everything to attract bees, and get caught out with this
stuff....
There must be a better way.-

After the tomatoes have finished flowering as the bees will not be
visiting the tomato plants.

I don't know whether this has spread to the antipodes, but the US, UK
and other parts of western Europe are suffering from "colony collapse
disorder' where huge numbers of honey bees are dying - partly due to
some mite that infests the hives. Without bees the world's food
sources would dry up in a few years. It is SO important to do nothing
that kills bees and everything we gardeners can to provide them with
lots of food sources, especially nectar-rich plants,to keep them
going.

I count myself fortunate, my pasture has clover and on a good day you can
hear the bees hum loudly. Sometimes you see posts about hand pollination,
I struggle to imagine what it is like to need to do bees' work because you
don't have enough. I take care of "my" bees though. If bees decline
worldwide we are in deep doo.

David

Jonno wrote:
I was in Tassie, having been made aware of the problem of bees
getting to "bee" scarce.
Saw their imported from New Zealand bumble bees foraging in my sisters
garden.
I'm not sure what damage these are doing there, but feel their
leatherwood honey producers are very concerned.
Does anyone know what would happen on the mainland if they make their
way here?
It seems that the accidental importation (from NZ) may create a
superior to local bee, as their pollination is far more productive
from what I've read, as is their method of attack, when disturbed, as
they can sting many times....


The world will not starve without bees but life would be more difficult and
certainly more boring. While the major crops that provide callories
(grains) mostly don't need bees many minor crops do, including many fruits
and vegetables.

This makes interesting reading:

http://gears.tucson.ars.ag.gov/book/

David

In article ,
"Jonno" wrote:

I am concerned that after using a tomato dusting powder, that the bees have
gone missing in my garden.
While I would like to prevent tomato diseases which have decimated my tomato
plants later on in the season, with the leaves curling up, and going brown
and drying up. I am not sure of what do.
Yates do warn of not using the dusting powder, when bees are foraging, but
what else can you do to prevent diseases?
Any ideas anyone?

What disease were you trying to prevent with this dusting powder, and does the
powder claim to prevent it at all?
Can you be a bit more precise than "leaves curling up and going brown"?

--
Chookie -- Sydney, Australia
(Replace "foulspambegone" with "optushome" to reply)

http://chookiesbackyard.blogspot.com/

I have seen my tomatoes turn up their toes become very straggly and get sick
like I described. If I knew the cause I would not be trying to prevent
everything..The Dusting powder is recommended to be applied every 5 to 10
days and is a multiple disease preventative..Unfortunately this had some
disastrous effects with the bees.
I think some of the survived and I saw a couple in my garden again. The
problem is they're few and far between.
Do bees pollinate tomatoes or are they self pollinating?

"Chookie" wrote in message
news:ehrebeniuk-E02AB1.08370707012009@news...
In article ,
"Jonno" wrote:

I am concerned that after using a tomato dusting powder, that the bees
have
gone missing in my garden.
While I would like to prevent tomato diseases which have decimated my
tomato
plants later on in the season, with the leaves curling up, and going
brown
and drying up. I am not sure of what do.
Yates do warn of not using the dusting powder, when bees are foraging,
but
what else can you do to prevent diseases?
Any ideas anyone?

What disease were you trying to prevent with this dusting powder, and does
the
powder claim to prevent it at all?
Can you be a bit more precise than "leaves curling up and going brown"?

--
Chookie -- Sydney, Australia
(Replace "foulspambegone" with "optushome" to reply)

http://chookiesbackyard.blogspot.com/

On Jan 7, 9:36*am, "Jonno" wrote:
Do bees pollinate tomatoes or are they self pollinating?


Depends on which bees you mean. Honeybees do not pollinate tomatoes,
but many native bees do (and if you're in Tasmania bumblebees will
also pollinate them). Tomatoes require a special kind of pollination
called buzz pollination, which honeybees cannot do. I understand that
tomatoes can be effectively wind pollinated, but don't know much about
it.

HTH
Tish

In article ,
"Jonno" wrote:

I have seen my tomatoes turn up their toes become very straggly and get sick
like I described. If I knew the cause I would not be trying to prevent
everything..The Dusting powder is recommended to be applied every 5 to 10
days and is a multiple disease preventative..Unfortunately this had some
disastrous effects with the bees.

I am trying to find out WHICH diseases you thought you were preventing. What
does this preparation prevent?

--
Chookie -- Sydney, Australia
(Replace "foulspambegone" with "optushome" to reply)

http://chookiesbackyard.blogspot.com/

The only answer , as I'm not a scientist or expert on diseases is "all of
em" as its a multi purpose dust.
I don't know what causes the plants to get sick.
When I get my Diploma of Plant diseases, I could answer you.. As it is, I'm
as much in the dark as you are regarding the problems I have had in the
past.
I will take pictures if I see the diseases, and put them on the web, then
some one may know. The problem occurs as described previously..
It could be mildew /fungal problems or a virus disease transmitted by
thrips. It seem to happen later on into the season and they blacken and dry
out.
High humidity, lack of air movement seems to hasten the problem and tomatoes
are not very productive after that.
BTW, I am not as careful lwithe watering the plant as I should be as the
leaves often get wet and make contact with the soil...
PS I wish I did have that diploma.... but that all I can give you.

"Chookie" wrote in message
news:ehrebeniuk-9EEC45.22545607012009@news...
In article ,
"Jonno" wrote:

I have seen my tomatoes turn up their toes become very straggly and get
sick
like I described. If I knew the cause I would not be trying to prevent
everything..The Dusting powder is recommended to be applied every 5 to 10
days and is a multiple disease preventative..Unfortunately this had some
disastrous effects with the bees.

I am trying to find out WHICH diseases you thought you were preventing.
What
does this preparation prevent?

--
Chookie -- Sydney, Australia
(Replace "foulspambegone" with "optushome" to reply)

http://chookiesbackyard.blogspot.com/

Jonno writes:
I am concerned that after using a tomato dusting powder, that the bees have
gone missing in my garden.

As you acknowledge, it is far better to be concerned about collateral
damage BEFORE spreading an insecticide. :-(

While I would like to prevent tomato diseases which have decimated my tomato
plants later on in the season, with the leaves curling up, and going brown
and drying up. I am not sure of what do.

Everyone's tomatoes die like this, eventually, in Australia. Tomatoes are
pre-destined to die of disease, one way or another, it seems. Their
mediterranean home doesn't have the high summer humidity that they find
in Australia.

what else can you do to prevent diseases?

You already know the answer: don't wet the leaves when you water!

Pick off lower leaves, the ones most likely to pick up fungal spores from
the soil. Grow on stakes, and thin foliage if it looks like bunching, so
air circulates better.

There is opportunity to experiment with companion planting (basil).

But my primary suggestion for the home gardener: grow cherry tomatoes,
and get them in early in the season. Their fruit sets and ripens so
quickly that many diseases don't get a foothold, and they seem to be
overlooked by both fruitfly and, I've found, thieving birds.

Besides, each cherry tomato is a small morsel, so pop it into your
mouth and eat it whole, no need to inspect for fly larvae! What the
eye doesn't see, the mind doesn't worry about.
--
John Savage (my news address is not valid for email)

You are right, I've been gardeniung for years, and I am of the conclusion
that the type of Tomatoes is more important than disease prevention.
I'm always trying to improve my knowledge on this though, as I feel these
plants shouldnt have to be molly-coddled.
The plants I am growing at the moment appear to do OK at present, and are
the disease resistant Appolo improved, grafted with the cherry tomato
rootstock no doubt. They are holding out at ther moment, but when Italian
growers cannot even get good results, I have to scratch my head to.
The bees are returning, so things may not have bee(n) so bad as I first
thought. Lavender does help..


"John Savage" wrote in message
...
Jonno writes:
I am concerned that after using a tomato dusting powder, that the bees
have
gone missing in my garden.

As you acknowledge, it is far better to be concerned about collateral
damage BEFORE spreading an insecticide. :-(

While I would like to prevent tomato diseases which have decimated my
tomato
plants later on in the season, with the leaves curling up, and going brown
and drying up. I am not sure of what do.

Everyone's tomatoes die like this, eventually, in Australia. Tomatoes are
pre-destined to die of disease, one way or another, it seems. Their
mediterranean home doesn't have the high summer humidity that they find
in Australia.

what else can you do to prevent diseases?

You already know the answer: don't wet the leaves when you water!

Pick off lower leaves, the ones most likely to pick up fungal spores from
the soil. Grow on stakes, and thin foliage if it looks like bunching, so
air circulates better.

There is opportunity to experiment with companion planting (basil).

But my primary suggestion for the home gardener: grow cherry tomatoes,
and get them in early in the season. Their fruit sets and ripens so
quickly that many diseases don't get a foothold, and they seem to be
overlooked by both fruitfly and, I've found, thieving birds.

Besides, each cherry tomato is a small morsel, so pop it into your
mouth and eat it whole, no need to inspect for fly larvae! What the
eye doesn't see, the mind doesn't worry about.
--
John Savage (my news address is not valid for email)