Abstract
The discovery of transgenes in maize landraces in Mexico, a center of diversity for this crop, raises questions about the potential impact of transgene diffusion on maize diversity. The concept of diversity and farmers' role in maintaining diversity is quite complex. Farmers' behavior is expected to have a significant influence on causing transgenes to diffuse, to be expressed differently, and to accumulate within landraces. Farmers' or consumers' perceptions that transgenes are "contaminants" and that landraces containing transgenes are "contaminated" could cause these landraces to be rejected and trigger a direct loss of diversity.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 3-14 |
Number of pages | 12 |
Journal | Agriculture and Human Values |
Volume | 23 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Mar 2006 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Biosafety
- Center of diversity
- Genetic erosion
- Latin America
- Maize
- Mexico
- Small-scale farmers
- Transgenic varieties
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Agronomy and Crop Science