WESTMINSTER DIARY-COMMENT FROM TAM DALYELL

Kurt Kleiner reports that the latest weapon in the war against cocaine
may soon be spread on the coca fields of Colombia (New Scientist, 11
March, p 5). The UN International Drug Control Programme (IDCP) is
negotiating with the government of Colombia to conduct open field
trials with a strain of the fungus Fusarium oxysporum to attack coca
plants, the source of cocaine. It all sounds good. However, as Kleiner
explains, the idea has fallen foul of some critics who fear that the
fungus could spread to other vegetation and even lead to further
deforestation of the Amazon.

I'm told by experts that E oxysporum is a notoriously changeable
fungus and may be able to invade many non-target hosts. It could thus
pose a serious threat to even legitimate crop plants and indigenous
wild species.

I intend to ask ministers responsible for the British input to the
IDCP whether it is appropriate to use F oxysporum as a weapon against
coca in Colombia. If experiments are to go ahead, then the
precautionary principle must be fully enforced. Certainly, politicians
must be careful before encouraging the introduction of alien species
for whatever reason.