Recent paper on Genetically Modified Organisms and their effect on Armenia

The effect of GMO’s on health and the environment in Armenia

In order to understand the potential impact of GMO’s, knowledge of what they are and how they’re produced is necessary.  GMO’s, Genetically Modified Organisms, are essentially artificially created organisms that have had their genomes manipulated for various potentially advantageous reasons.  Generally, the reasons for creating such altered organisms are for potential benefits in the realm of pharmaceutics, experimental medicine, and particularly agriculture.  In terms of the potential environmental impact to Armenia, it’s the agricultural GMO products that are of particular concern.  The processes used in genomic recombination are essential for modifying certain organisms for novel uses.  Generally GMOs can be either transgenic, when DNA is inserted from a completely different species, or cisgenic, which involves DNA recombination from within the same organism.  From the agricultural perspective, examples abound in which gene sequences are inserted and deleted to expand certain capabilities.  It is becoming common in the agricultural sector to insert genes for cold tolerance from certain plants into commercially viable products.  For example, inserting cold tolerant genes into tomato plants allows farmers to grow tomatoes through a greater part of the year.  Besides cold tolerance, another widely accepted manipulation technique is to insert pesticide production genes, allowing for less labor intensive crops.  Other effects of genomic manipulation can include lengthening the shelf-life of a product after picking, increasing the yield of a product, allowing it to grow in less favorable soil conditions, changing the appearance (especially the size and color), and possibly even altering the taste to a more flavorful profile.  Over thirty years of research has allowed scientists to expand their understanding of recombination techniques, giving them the necessary tools to modify a greater number of organisms.  One common modification technique to insert genomic sequences involves viral manipulation.  Basically, genes are inserted into a virus, which then transfers its sequence to that of the target DNA, altering the organism in a specific manner.  Other techniques include using a “gene gun” that causes short sequence repeat DNA strand to adhere to the target organism.  Some techniques are subtle enough that only minor changes can cause significant differences in outcome.  For example, it’s possible to alter the expression rate of certain proteins, causing a change in the size or shape of a particular crop.  This can be done through subtle manipulation of inhibitor or activator enzymes and can in turn result in proteins that are over-expressed or under-expresses in quantity.

Since GMOs are so recent in human history, the complete environmental effects are yet inconclusive.  Experience however, has shown that when complex environmental interactions are suspected, caution must be exercised to avoid cross-contamination.  Since GMOs, particularly agricultural crops, have had their genetic structure altered, it is possible to accidentally expose unaltered plants that would not normally have the artificially modified genes.  The pollen of these GMO plants can spread through mechanisms like insects, birds, and the wind.  Plants that are particularly susceptible to GMO contamination often occur in areas of the world that remain unregulated, with no GMO specific labeling laws.  Armenia, as a principle topic, remains unrestricted as far as GMO labeling.  The possible detrimental effect on native plant species in Armenia is particularly alarming.  Since Armenia has numerous climate zones and soils, there is a great deal of floral diversity within a small area.  Even just outside Yerevan, there are native fields of wild wheat and barley, accounting for the greatest diversity of these grasses.  The presence of this diversity indicates that the primary source of these modern domesticated grasses originated in or near the Ararat valley.  The rich ecological diversity is extremely susceptible to cross-contamination.  If for example, GMO wheat seeds are imported and subsequently grown, without proper caution like pollen traps and wind direction factors, the pollen can easily travel long distances and influence native wheat species.  It has been shown that contamination, even across a large tract of land, is possible with GMO products.  With the laws in Armenia as weak as they are regarding GMO seed imports, the danger for cross-contamination is extremely high. 

Besides agricultural contamination, the complete health effects of GMOs on humans, domesticated animals, and even wild species, have yet to be fully realized.  The modified genes in these organisms can possible cross the species barrier and effect humans directly, or indirectly.  The direct effects, for example, can be a result of eating insect resistant GMO apples (which produce their own pesticide), or indirectly, from eating sheep that have fed on GMO wheat.  Although the specific dangers are yet inconclusive, the fact that there’s a likelihood for these genes to disperse from their intended targets is reason enough to implement strict laws on GMO labeling.  Although many claim that GMOs taste or look different, often, the modified changes are so subtle, or effect areas of the organism that we may not encounter, that we can’t tell an altered from a normal one.  The labeling laws that the EU has implemented would go a long way in Armenia towards identifying GMOs and avoiding them if necessary.  Besides these laws, it would be particularly advantageous for Armenia to have a molecular lab which can be used to identify GMO products.  Other less costly measures already mentioned, like pollen filters and environmental assessment to determine wind direction and contamination potential are also required.

Lastly, although some environmental groups bristle at any suggestion that GMOs may have the intended benefits of their creators, there are instances when their benefits to the needs of humans outweigh their aforementioned drawbacks.  In instances where greater crop yields are necessary to avoid famine and starvation, GMOs offer a distinct advantage.  Further, some areas of the world that have short growing seasons, or unsuitable soil for agricultural needs can use GMOs to become self-sufficient in their food production needs.  This in term benefits the environment by limiting transport pollution, and also provides economic advantages to those countries, whether for domestic needs, or export.  By far, the most important benefit of GMOs are the resistance they allow certain organisms to pests, including viruses, which would otherwise perish.  A recent example is the plum pox virus that has appeared in stone bearing fruits such as plums and peaches in the Northeastern United States.  The virus itself destroys the whole tree, and the only way to eradicate its effects are to remove the tree from soil and completely destroy it.  If such a virus should find itself in the Armenian agricultural sector, there’s no telling what kind of irreparable damage, both economic and environmental, it may cause.  However, a new genetically engineered strain, called the HoneySweet Plum is resistant to the effects of this virus.  Similar instances can be found amongst agriculturally important crops such as potatoes, tomatoes, apples, pears, and even papayas.  Ultimately, GMOs are important under certain agricultural, economic, and humanitarian circumstances.  However, a thorough cost-benefit analysis must be undertaken, along with stricter regulations towards seed imports and labeling.  We can either live with these novel organisms, or allow them to dominate our lives.  The choice is ours.

Sources and further research

1) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GMO

2) http://biology.asj-oa.am/21/1/011.pdf

3) http://scienceblogs.com/tomorrowstable/2010/04/honey_sweet_plum.php

4) http://www.nwrage.org/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=292

5) http://www.gmo-free-regions.org/news/2005_02_01_archive.html

6) http://www.consumersinternational.org/Templates/Internal.asp?NodeID=99453