Agricultural Biotechnology Council

The report concluded that in cropping situations, such as GM maize, where weed control was least effective more seeds were consequently returned to the seedbank and the weed seedbank increased. This increase continued for two years (the length of the study). Conversely, in cropping situations where weed control was more effective, as in the case of GM spring oilseed rape and sugarbeet, seedbanks were lower.

Commenting on the report, Agricultural Biotechnology Council (abc) Deputy Chairman Tony Combes said:

“This report confirms what we have always asserted; that it is the weed management methods which account for any impact on biodiversity: In this case the amount of seeds subsequently left in the soil for birds and insects to eat.

“But we must remember that farmers have to balance the need to control weeds and avoid serious potential crop losses, against the requirement to supply sufficient food sources for wildlife.

“The advantage of GM crops is that the weed control options are extremely flexible so that if farmers want to have more weeds present and still retain a quality crop, they are able to do this more easily with the help of this technology.

“We have seen a number of studies published in the last year on this subject, including the BRIGHT project which looked at weed seedbanks across a typical four-year rotation of crops and demonstrated that no such declines in seedbanks would be expected. This demonstrates that GM agriculture can be used in a positive manner, with the potential to provide marked environmental benefits.”