21.4 - Genetically Modified Organisms

Question 1

What is genetic engineering used for in crops?

Answer 1

Herbicide and insect resistance

Question 2

What are the advantages of GM crops?

Answer 2

• Involves less labour than traditional herbicides and pesticides.
• Herbicide-resistant GM crops allow the use of herbicides to kill weeds without harming the crop, increasing crop yield.
• Insect-resistant GM crops are less likely to be killed by pests, increasing crop yield.
• Insect-resistant GM crops reduce the need for pesticides, benefiting the environment.

Question 3

What are the disadvantages of GM crops?

Answer 3

• Encourage monocultures, reducing biodiversity.
• Herbicide-resistant GM plants may crossbreed with wild plants, creating herbicide-resistant weeds.
• Loss of traditional crop varieties reduces genetic diversity, which makes crops vulnerable to disease and climate changes.
• Non-target insects could be harmed by the toxin coded for by insect-resistant GM crops.
• Insect pests may evolve resistance to the toxin coded for by insect-resistant GM crops.

Question 4

What are the advantages of GM farmed animals?

Answer 4

• Improves quality e.g. by enhancing disease resistance.
• Improves quantity e.g. by enabling year-round reproduction.
• Improves productivity e.g. through faster growth.

Question 5

What is pharming?

Answer 5

Production of pharmaceuticals and human medicines by inserting human genes into other animals.

Question 6

What are the advantages of pharming?

Answer 6

• Enables mass production of rare treatments.
• Makes drugs more accessible.

Question 7

What are the disadvantages of pharming?

Answer 7

• Raises animal welfare concerns.
• Can lead to animals being viewed solely as commodities.

Question 8

What are the advantages of GM pathogens?

Answer 8

• Offers potential treatments for diseases previously deemed incurable.
• Can produce essential medicines, antibiotics, and enzymes, such as insulin.
• Useful in creating vaccines.
• Facilitates the creation of DNA libraries for research.

Question 9

What are the disadvantages of GM pathogens?

Answer 9

• Carries a risk of accidental infections and disease outbreaks.
• There’s a danger that engineered pathogens could revert to their original, harmful form.
• Could be misused in biological warfare.

Question 10

What are the ethical issues surrounding patents in genetic engineering?

Answer 10

1. The legal patenting of engineered organisms raises questions about global access.
2. This especially affects smallholder farmers in developing countries who may be unable to afford patented seeds due to high costs and legal barriers.