The empty century in Italy
Ignorance of Genetics, Tradition, Cultural delay

Area 07 – Scienze agrarie e veterinarie

The issue of an Italian mail stamp celebrating 30 years of Slow food, just a century after the publication in New York of the book Plant Breeding, arouses anger and bitterness from a teacher who taught how using genetically modified plants reduces the use of pesticides in agriculture. The Author blames as false the theories that had credit in the public opinion and that have determined the prohibition by Italian Autorithy of cultivating plants obtaining with the most advanced genetic technologies in the year 2000, almost as a century anniversary of the bird of Genetics. The Author explains the refusal of innovation in Italy given by the ignorance of the people and its poor cultural background especially in the Sciences of the life (Agronomy and Medicine), linked to the actual economic interests of traditional agriculture products. It is outlines the Genetics as given by Mendel, plant crop improvement and the next molecular genetic knowledge that allow to deeper few basic issues for all livings and the get a new approach for plant improvement.

SINTESI