What is the concern about the transfer of genes from transgenic maize?
The central issue concerns gene flow that usually occurs via the transfer of pollen, and includes the natural transfer of genes from genetically modified plants to traditional maize and its wild relatives. Transgene flow may threaten the diversity of teosintes-wild relatives of maize-and Mexican land races, crop varieties with a broad genetic basà resulting from thousands of years of development and adaptation to particular soil types and microclimates. This is of particular concern not only because of the socio-cultural and economic importance of traditional maize agriculture, but because Mexico is a centre of origin for this important food crop.
