Printed in the Honolulu Advertiser

Letters to the Editor, Saturday, April 21, 2007

Biotech Research Ban Could Hurt Coffee, Taro

On Saturday, April 14, you reported that papaya ringspot virus has reached Lana'i.

You also stated that there is no cure. You are correct that there is no cure, but there are resistant varieties that allow normal levels of production of high-quality fruit.

The resistant varieties were the result of modern biotech research begun in the 1980s before the virus reached Hawai'i, and culminated with the release of resistant strains just when the commercial papaya industry was about to go under.

We now hear much about banning biotech research on taro and coffee. Our papaya industry would not exist today if such a ban had been in place in the '80s.

Why put coffee and taro in jeopardy by banning research? It just doesn't make sense.

John Stiles
Kane'ohe