It has taken time, but now there is an updated digital version of the book on genetically modified plants in English. This week, the Scandinavian Plant Physiology Society (SPPS), which has helped with the translation and layout, will publish it on their website.
Roland von Bothmer, Torbjörn Fagerström, and Stefan Jansson, members of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, are the authors of the book Beyond GMO – Science and Plant Breeding for Sustainable Agriculture . It was published in Swedish in 2015 by Fri Tanke Förlag and was a result of, among other things, the discussions held in the GM group at the Academy. The group had noted that the issue of genetically modified plants aroused many emotions among the general public, and they felt it was important to present the scientific view of the development.
The idea of translating the book into English was raised early on, but proved easier said than done. After many twists and turns, the Scandinavian Plant Physiology Society finally came to the rescue. The Society has financed the translation and layout of the book, and it will now be made publicly available on their website.
“We’re not doing this to make money, but to spread the message. Hence, the best is to make it freely available digitally,” says Stefan Jansson.
New development
Since the book was first published, however, a lot has happened. The new English version is therefore updated with the latest developments in the field, including the genetic scissors, CRISPR/Cas-9. Using CRISPR/Cas-9, it is possible to change a plant’s own DNA with great precision, without adding anything new.
Jansson says that attitudes towards both GMO crops and crops developed using CRISPR/Cas-9 are changing in many parts of the world. But in the EU, it is still virtually impossible to get permission to use these new plants.
“But every year , the EU takes a small step forward, and the resistance that remains now is mostly political. Public opinion has shifted quite a bit, not only in Sweden” he says.
Also in Spanish and Japanese
Beyond GMO is already available in both Spanish and Japanese. A German researcher is also working on a translated/edited version in German.
The English version of Beyond GMO – Science and plant breeding for sustainable agriculture was launched today at the SPPS Congress in Copenhagen. The preface is signed by the former President of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, Dan Larhammar, the current President, Birgitta Henriques-Normark and the Secretary General, Hans Ellegren.