5.3.3 Genetic Engineering: Crops Flashcards
What are Genetically modified plants
Genetically modified plants are plants that have had foreign DNA inserted into their genome
Why do people make Genetically modified plants
This is usually done to improve food production in some way
What are genetically modified Crops known as
GM crops
Crop plants, such as wheat and maize, have been genetically modified to contain a gene from a bacterium that, does what?
produces a poison that kills insects, making them resistant to insect pests such as caterpillars. This can improve crop yields
Crop plants have also been genetically modified to make them resistant to, what?
to certain herbicides (chemicals that kill plants)
- meaning that when the herbicide is sprayed on the crop it only kills weeds and does not affect the crop plant
Some crops have been genetically modified to produce additional, what?
vitamins and improved nutritional value
Why have some crops been genetically modified to produce more vitamins and improve nutritional value, eg golden rice?
contains genes from another plant and a bacterium which make the rice grains produce a chemical that is turned into vitamin A in the human body, which could help prevent deficiency diseases in certain areas of the world
Some crops have been genetically modified to be, what?
drought-resistant (to grow better in very dry conditions). This can also improve crop yields
Concerns about GM crops include the effect on populations of, what?
wildflowers and insects
Some people feel the effects of eating GM crops on, what?
human health have not been fully explored
(Advantages & Disadvantages of GM Crops) Give 2 Advantages.
Reduced Use of Chemicals such as Herbicides and Pesticides - Better for the enviroment cheaper / less time - consuming for farmers
Increased yields from the crops as they are not competing with weeds for resources or suffering from pest damage
(Advantages & Disadvantages of GM Crops) Give 5 Disadvantages
Increased Cost of Seeds
Increased Dependency of Certain Chemicals, such as the herbicides that crops are resistant to
Risk of inserted genes being transferred to wild plants by pollination which could reduce the usefulness of the gm crop
Reduced biodiversity as there are fewer plant species when herbicides have been used - This can impact insects and insect-eating birds
Some research has shown that plants that have had genes inserted into them do not grow as well as non-gm plants
