Transgenic maize for Mesoamerica: Are implications limited to local agriculture?

Maize is a fundamentally important staple crop in its center of origin, unlike other transgenic crops which may be important mostly as cash crops (e.g., cotton). Its contemporary importance in Mexico spans the dietary, cultural, religious, economic, and political arenas, as it did in pre-Columbian Mesoamerica when grand civilizations were built upon maize. A moratorium on field plantings of transgenic maize in Mexico was lifted in 2009 when the Mexican government authorized limited (experimental) plantings in several states. Since then, both scientists and lay-person organizations have argued in opposition or support of more extensive authorizations, particularly for commercial purposes. I will discuss some local implications of commercially releasing transgenic maize in Mexico, and how they may extend to other countries where maize is important economically and as a staple crop. Additionally, I will discuss the utility of the insect-resistant transgenic maizes currently considered for release in Mexico, and show that viable alternatives may be found locally in the crop’s wild relatives, the teosinte grasses (species of Zea other than maize).