Societies and groups

Golden Rice and Daffodils

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Friends,
Below is an exercpt from my Plants and People Lecture Guide on Golden Rice:
 
 “Golden Rice”   See Chap. 5:256.
a.  According to a World Health Organization (WHO) report, about 250 million people worldwide are deficient in Vitamin A.  The consequence of the Vitamin A deficiency is that these people are at risk of suffering permanent blindness and other serious ailments.  This situation is worst in countries where the population is overly dependent on rice as a staple.  Normal rice contains no beta-carotene, the precursor of vitamin A.  Each molecule of beta-carotene yields two molecules of Vitamin A. 
b.  “Golden Rice” is a second generation genetically-modified (GM) rice.  Scientists at the Swiss Institute of Technology in Zurich have inserted three genes (two genes came from the daffodil) into a rice variety resulting in a new rice variety that produces large amounts of beta-carotene.  Consequently, this rice has a yellow color; hence the name “Golden Rice.”
c.  In May 2000, the inventors of the “Golden Rice” signed a deal with AstraZeneca that will allow Third World farmers free access to this new rice variety.
 
The Chap. reference above comes from:
 
Plants & Society
5th edition (2006)
Estelle Leveting & Karen McMahon
McGraw-Hill Higher Education
 
Ted

Ted,

101 Water Oaks Drive

Mississippi

2 comments for “Golden Rice and Daffodils”

  1. 

    Vitamin A and Alzheimers medicine . . .and we thought they were just pretty yellow flowers.
    Mary Lou

  2. Thanks Ted.  We heard about this golden rice several years ago – probably from you.  My question is if it really is starting to be grown in the countries where it is needed.  I remember that there was some talk about people not wanting to eat yellow rice.  This is the first time I have heard that it is cultivar specific.  Is that true?
    Donna


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