Understanding plant biodiversity: Myths and facts

[W]hen we say “lost genetic diversity”, everyone understands extinction both in terms of species and variety. The registered varieties have a limited life span. Indeed, thousands of varieties cultivated become obsolete due to changing climate, soil, diseases and pests, etc., and new varieties come to replace them. Rice varieties of the 1950s-1960s such as Maratelli, Ribe, Gritna have really disappeared. But rice cultivation continues this time with new varieties such as the new Osmancık and Boyabat Castle. But there is no loss or depletion in species ….

[T]he lifespan of annual plant varieties is 5-10 years. On the other hand, varieties that will adapt to new conditions are bred and registered by agricultural research institutes, universities and private seed companies and offered to farmers. Because these varieties are not planted by farmers, but they are preserved in numerous gene banks.

ETC activists included issues such as “genetic engineering, synthetic pesticides, patents, nanotechnology” in their campaigns against modern technologies in the agricultural sector. And this approach had a negative impact on the agricultural development and even the economy of many countries.

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