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GMO Corn Research to Benefit Developing Countries

Agricultural Research Service U.S.D.A.
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Scott Bauer
Corn research requres significant financial inputs.

There are significant investments made to develop varieties of GMO corn that have commercially valuable traits, such as high yield, and herbicide and drought resistance...Traits that are compatible with large scale production methods.  However, there is very little investment available to produce varieties of corn for small farmers in developing countries. 

Research at the University of Arizona to develop a genetically modified variety of corn that is resistant to infection by a mold called aflatoxin is stalled for lack of funding.  This variety would be beneficial for farmers in Africa who have problems with aflatoxin tainted corn causing sickness and death in their livestock and children.

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