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Opinion on hybrid |
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Hybrid seeds and animals created hype among the environment concerned people as well as the farmers, policy makers and all other interested in agriculture, environment and biology. Recently I came across the hybrid seeds and crops in my biology curriculum too. Hybrid seeds developed along with the development of bio and gene technology and thus it should do good, right. But there are many factors to be taken into account before accepting the technology with open arms. Hybrid seeds are the new species in the environment with new characteristics and they have different niche compared to the previous species. They might affect the other plants and animals in a different way. Even while doing the test for the hybrids it is difficult for all things to be taken in consideration as they may not take place in the environment within the given time. This is to say that the test cannot ensure that there is no any side effect, which can arise along with time. A long term change due to the hybrids is difficult to observe in the lab conditions and people nowadays are more involved in money making business, thus as a result the manufacturers may not have taken many important aspects into account. One interesting thing is that the company manufacturing the hybrid crop terminate the second generation growth, that is to say the farmers cannot make the seed ready for the second phase from the hybrid plants they grow. So they have to purchase it every time from the manufacturer. Increasing use of hybrid crops may result into imbalance of the ecosystem and disrupt the ecological balance. In my opinion the genetically modified crops must be used to minimum level, regardless of its advantages, as no one is aware of its long term effects in the eco system and the use of it can result in anything, which we may not have been imagined. The people of our nation protested against the release of Hybrid seed "Monsanto" in the Nepali market which showed that the people are against the hybrid crops. I do not know much about the use of hybrid in other country. Please write your thoughts and the situations regarding the hybrids in your country. |
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3 Comments
As an agriculture student, I see hybrids to have both pros and cons too. Although it may have to pose some risks, its opportunities should still not be discarded. Hybrids are proven to yield higher than the others, more tolerant to various stresses and socially-boosting to farmers. With the high dynamics in the ecological systems now, hybrids can provide better resiliency to both social and ecological outlooks.
I would also like to comment that hyrbids (product of multiple breeding) is different from GMO (product of artificial gene alteration) :)
Posted 22-02-2015 14:52
Both hybrid seeds and non-hybrid seeds have their pros and cons.
The positives for hybrid seeds are that they tend to perform better in garden in terms of more fruits and vegetables produced, more plants surviving disease and pests and more flowers. For a gardener, this can mean an increased return for all the time spent in caring for a garden. The negatives for hybrid seeds are that they tend to be more expensive to buy due to the specialized pollination process and the seeds we collect from them will not grow the same plant next year and, in some cases, have been bred so that no plant at all can grow from the seeds of a hybrid plant. Hybrid varieties are also threatening agro-biodiversity because a few hybrid varieties outcompete a broad range of seed-to-seed varieties.
Corn was the first hybrid seed crop and it is an important economic crop in many countries , it is one of the success stories of hybrid seeds.
Likewise even non hybrid seeds have their pros and cons. So this is indeed a debatable issue.
Posted 22-02-2015 02:29
Seems to be posted twice.
Posted 21-02-2015 23:03