Roundup Ready Soybean Controversies

Discussion on GMO, Roundup Ready Soybean Controversies

1. Roundup ready soyabean CONTROVERSIES

2. Introduction Monsanto’s soybean GTS 40-3-2, also known as Roundup Ready Soybean, which is resistant to the herbicide Roundup. The herbicide resistant Roundup Ready (RR) soybean GTS 40-3-2 from Monsanto is resistant to glyphosate , the active component of the Monsanto product Roundup. Glyphosate is an inhibitor of 5-Enolpyruvylshikimate 3-Phosphate Synthase ( EPSPS ), an enzyme on the pathway for the synthesis of aromatic amino acids in plants. The inhibition of EPSPS halts the creation of aromatic amino acids and ultimately leads to a termination of the protein synthesis and zero growth. Glyphosate is absorbed via the surface of a plant and distributed in the whole plant (systemic effect). As a general rule, this leads to visible toxic effects within a week, and the plants wither and finally die.

3. Gene Construction Roundup Ready Soybeans express a version of EPSPS from the CP4 strain of the bacteria, Agrobacterium tumefaciens , expression of which is regulated by an enhanced 35S promoter (E35S ) from cauliflower mosaic virus ( CaMV ), a chloroplast transit peptide (CTP4) coding sequence from Petunia hybrida , and a nopaline synthase ( nos 3') transcriptional termination element from Agrobacterium tumefaciens . The plasmid with EPSPS and the other genetic elements mentioned above was inserted into soybean germplasm with a gene gun by scientists at Monsanto and Asgrow

4. Resistance mechanism

5. Ethical issues Monsanto’s first-generation Roundup Ready soybeans in 1996. (off patent in 2015). The genetically modified RR soybean GTS 40-3-2 from the company Monsanto is resistant to glyphosate, the active ingredient of the broad spectrum herbicide Roundup. Farmers who buy Monsanto’s patented Roundup Ready seeds are required to sign an agreement promising not to save the seed produced after each harvest for re-planting, or to sell the seed to other farmers.

6. Controversies Critics have objected to use of GM crops such as Roundup Ready soybeans on several grounds, including ethical concerns, ecological concerns, and economic concerns raised by the fact GM techniques and GM organisms are subject to intellectual property law. GMOs also are involved in controversies over GM food with respect to whether food produced from GM crops is safe , whether it should be labeled, and whether GM crops are needed to address the world's food needs .

7. Argument Farmer ‘Vernon Bowman’ purchased soybean for planting from a grain elevator. exhausted any patent rights in the seed. The District Court and the Federal Circuit both had rejected the arguments but later Supreme Court agreed to review the case. Patent exhaustion does not permit farmers to grow a new crop of patented crops from those seeds without owners permission.

8. Bowman’s First Argument Bowman demanded that uses of seeds is covered by the patent exhaustion doctrine because that is the normal way farmers use seed and Monsanto need not seek impermissible exception to the exhaustion doctrine for patented seed and other self replicating technologies. The argument was rejected by the court explaining that Bowmen should seek an exceptional exemption to an already settled rule that the exhaustion doctrine doesn’t allow the right to make a new product.

9. Bowmen’s Second Argument Bowmen’s another argument was also rejected by the court as he said the reproduction of seeds had occurred naturally and Bowmen himself had not made imitations of Monsanto’s planted invention. On this the court commented that Bowmen was not a fine observer of his crops and that his seeds had not spontaneously created successive soybean crops.

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