Stephen Moose
Professor of Plant Functional Genomics, Department of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois
Expert Bio
Stephen Moose is a Professor of Plant Functional Genomics in the Department of Crop Sciences at the University of Illinois. He received his B.S. degree in Biology from Case Western Reserve University and obtained his Ph.D. in Genetics from North Carolina State University. His Ph.D. studies focused on genes controlling developmental timing in maize. Dr. Moose then investigated transcriptional regulation of maize seed proteins as a postdoctoral researcher with Bob Schmidt at the University of California-San Diego. Steve next worked at Dekalb Genetics Corporation as a Project Leader to enhance the nutritional quality of corn grain. Dr. Moose joined the University of Illinois in 1999, where his research program focuses on understanding regulatory variation controlling economically important traits in corn and related bioenergy grasses. Dr. Moose teaches undergraduate and graduate courses on the topics of biotechnology, genome science, and their application to crop improvement.
Studies, Articles and Answers
Showing 7 out of 7 results
Question
A: Q1: What is quantity of Cry1Ab toxin in one corn plant? The short answer is, it depends on what specific corn variety or plant part is tested and the environment the plant was grown in, but in all cases, the levels of Cry1Ab are considered low enough to have a very low probability of causing any health risk upon ingestion by people or animals or to negatively impact other organisms, such as beneficial insects. The longer answer is that there are 47 different maize events (independent versions) producing Cry1Ab that have been sold commercially since 1996, by at least three diff [...]
GMO Basics How GMOs Are MadeQuestion
A: It is quite possible to have a high yielding variety that isn't GM. In the absence of insects, weeds, drought or some other environmental challenge, GM varieties don't necessarily yield any better, and if overall genetics are better in a non-GM variety, it will produce a higher yield. One therefore needs to know how the test was done. For example if there were no corn borers, no weeds, and no root worms there would be no need for GM corn. If there was a drought and they didn't water then a non-GM drought resistant type would easily win. As is the case with all research, [...]
EnvironmentQuestion
A: I am not aware of a study that has specifically analyzed GMOs and electrons or free radicals, probably because there is no good reason to investigate this. Electron emission (e.g., ionization such as that caused by radioactive isotopes) or free radicals are typically damaging to all cells and thus life. This is why low doses of radiation are effective in sterilizing food products. Because GMOs are living and typically function just as effectively as their non-GM counterparts, they are not likely to create free radicals or induce ionization. [...]
GMO Basics How GMOs Are MadeQuestion
A: Your question reflects a common view that “monocropping” and the use of agrichemicals damage the environment, and that alternative diversified cropping systems can reduce these threats. This is clearly an over simplification of the reality, as all agricultural production systems are complex and balance a number of trade-offs between economic productivity and environmental sustainability. Very few agricultural systems are true “monocrops,” except for perhaps at scale of individual fields, due to common use of crop rotations. Studies that document the relative environmental damage and bene [...]
A: Your question reflects a common view that “monocropping” and the use of agrichemicals damage the environment, and that alternative diversified cropping systems can reduce these threats. This is clearly an over simplification of the reality, as all agricultural production systems are complex and balance a number of trade-offs between economic productivity and environmental sustainability. Very few agricultural systems are true “monocrops,” except for perhaps at scale of individual fields, due to common use of crop rotations. Studies that document the relative environmental damage and bene [...]
Environment Crop protectantsQuestion
A: Your question reflects a common view that “monocropping” and the use of agrichemicals damage the environment, and that alternative diversified cropping systems can reduce these threats. This is clearly an over simplification of the reality, as all agricultural production systems are complex and balance a number of trade-offs between economic productivity and environmental sustainability. Very few agricultural systems are true “monocrops,” except for perhaps at scale of individual fields, due to common use of crop rotations. Studies that document the relative environmental damage and bene [...]
A: Your question reflects a common view that “monocropping” and the use of agrichemicals damage the environment, and that alternative diversified cropping systems can reduce these threats. This is clearly an over simplification of the reality, as all agricultural production systems are complex and balance a number of trade-offs between economic productivity and environmental sustainability. Very few agricultural systems are true “monocrops,” except for perhaps at scale of individual fields, due to common use of crop rotations. Studies that document the relative environmental damage and bene [...]
Environment Crop protectantsQuestion
A: The genetic material that is used to produce GM corn comes from other genes found in nature that have been shown to program desirable traits. There are many genetic traits that have been introduced into GM corn, but the two most common ones are production of a protein toxic to certain insect pests, and resistance to certain herbicides. For the insect toxins, the genes come from a common soil bacterium named Bacillus thuringiensis, nicknamed Bt. These bacteria were initially discovered to cause sickness in silkworm caterpillar colonies, and cultures of these bacteria have been spra [...]
GMO Basics How GMOs Are MadeQuestion
A: I am not aware of any genetically modified corn resistant to Anthracnose leaf blight. So, nothing to ban. And for the second part, this disease is common throughout the Midwest, but most corn hybrids (whether GM or not) already have some natural genetic resistance bred into them. The combination of genetic resistance, crop rotation, and spraying fungicides means anthracnose is not typically a problem. [...]
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