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Re: GM Trees



Hi John and all,
I understand that the thing that makes trees stand tall is cellulose and lignin acts something like the  glue that holds the fibers of cellulose together. Low lignin trees are much less costly to process into fiber to make paper and other stuff such as fiberboard. However, lignin provides protection from fungi, insects and bacterial diseases, the low lignin trees  will need intensive chemical support to kill pests.
Low lignin fodder is also being promoted because it is more digestible than natural fodder. Like the trees low lignin fodder is enjoyed by cows but the plants require a lot of chemical pesticide to survive.
I think low lignin  produces forests and pastures that the chemical industry will love, but humans may need  some genetic engineering to survive the pesticides  on the paper and in the cows fed treated fodder.
Sincerely, Joe Cummins

John D'hondt wrote:
Just one sec  now. Trees without lignin are still trees?
Is not lignin the stuff that allows trees to stand upright and to be used
for building and carpentry and such?  Sounds counter productive to me this.
A tree with less lignin must be less useful in all respects surely? Making a
tree with more lignin I could understand better. But then that already
exists:) A poplar with more lignin is an oak.
John

  
I sent Mike a personal note stating that I read some stories about GM
trees a couple of years ago when I was in an archival management. The
articles were aimed at archivist and discussed how the GM trees would
have lower lignin content, so the buggies wouldn't want to eat it- good
for archival purposes the article stated.

Sampling of U.S. Research on Genetically Modified Trees (2001)
ORGANIZATION             SPECIES         DESIRED TRAIT
Michigan TEch, MI        Poplar          Reduced lignin content
Westvaco, NY             Pine, sweet gum Altered plant development
Exelixis Plant Sciences,
List from the article Technology Review (Cambridge, Mass.), March 2001
v104 i2 p34
Industry Huqs Biotech Trees by Kathryn Brown.
Abstract: Genetically modified trees are the goal of three prominent
paper and lumber producers. International Paper, Westvaco, and Fletcher
Challenge Forests formed a joint venture for agricultural biotechnology
research. The venture, called ArborGen, has been working on ways to
produce trees without lignin, that are herbicide tolerant, and with
controlled reproduction.

    

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