LONDON - Early media coverage of the British field trials says that the tests found that GM beet and spring rape were worse for wildlife than conventional varieties of the crop, but that growing herbicide-tolerant GM maize was better for many types of wildlife than conventional maize.

Stephen Tindale, executive director of environmental group Greenpeace, was quoted as saying after the results were released Thursday that "Tony Blair should close the door on GM for good" and that the experiments "did not begin to address the possible catastrophic effects that GM could bring about. But even within their limited scope, they clearly show that the alleged benefits of GM do not exist."

Researchers unveiling their findings at the Science Centre in London said bees in beet crops, and butterflies in beet and spring rape, were recorded more often around non-GM crops because there were more weeds to provide food and cover.

However, there were more weeds in and around the herbicide-tolerant GM maize crops, attracting more butterflies and bees.