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Scientists at Rothamsted make plea to protesters

GM wheat scientists at Rothamsted make plea to protesters 
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-17906172 
1 May 2012By Richard BlackEnvironment correspondent, BBC News

"Rothamsted's wheat contains genes that have been synthesised in the laboratory - an approach that is becoming more commonplace than transferring genes from other organisms, as technology develops. The gene will produce a pheromone called E-beta-farnesene that is normally emitted by aphids when they are threatened by something. When aphids smell it, they fly away. "Also, the natural enemies of aphids - ladybirds, lacewings and a particular parasitic wasp - when they smell this smell, they're attracted," said Prof Huw Junes, one of the study team who signed the open letter. "So it's potentially got an advantage in the UK and other western nations because it'll prevent the need to spray insecticide - and [in the developing world where] farmers don't have access to insecticide, they'd have that packaged up in the seed."

"...the Rothamsted letter pledges their results "will not be patented and will not be owned by any private company.
"If our wheat proves to be beneficial we want it to be available to farmers around the world at minimum cost,"

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