It’s
not genetically modified, but it’s a coming variety of flax that is
resistant to glyphosate.
And
because glyphosate-resistant corn was the first GMO variety in the
world, the link may be made by GMO critics and the public.
Eric
Fridfinnson of the Manitoba Flax Growers Association says in an
article in the Manitoba Cooperator that the move towards
herbicide-tolerant flax began several years ago and stemmed from a
desire to increase yields, which hover around 22 bushels per acre in
Manitoba.
“We
really feel that it would be a great benefit to flax to be able to
use this technology,” said Fridfinnson. “We see a number of areas
where it would be useful for breeders to be able to move their
program more quickly and raise the genetic potential of flax.”
In
the spring of 2010, the Flax Council of Canada signed on with U.S.
crop trait development firm Cibus to work on non-transgenic flax
traits, providing significant funding for the company’s work. The
Manitoba Flax Growers Association also contributed to the project,
providing approximately $200,000 to the San Diego-based company over
about four years.
But
after Cibus failed to meet various milestones, the council ended its
arrangement with the company. Now Cibus says it’s ready to launch
the new variety in 1919 in the United States and in 2020 in Canada.
