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Episode details

World Service,15 Jun 1999,13 mins

'Terminator technology' sows Seeds of Doubt

The Farming World

Available for over a year

Terminator technology – genetic engineering of plants to set sterile seed, so forcing farmers to buy seed instead of harvesting their own – has been patented but is not yet on the market. Another example of controversial genetic use restriction technology (GURT) is research into beneficial crop traits that can be turned on only by an expensive chemical 'switch'. Plus, how one company physically sorts more than 200 types of seeds.

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