Sunday, 7 February 2016

What is a GM crop?




Definition :- 


A GM or transgenic crop is a plant that has a novel combination of genetic material obtained through the use of modern biotechnology.

For example, a GM crop can contain a gene(s) that has been artificially inserted instead of the plant acquiring it through pollination.

The resulting plant is said to be “genetically modified” although in reality all crops have been “genetically modified” from their original wild state by domestication, selection, and controlled breeding over long periods of time.

Benefits of GM plants:


Higher crop yields.
Reduced farm costs.
Increased farm profit.
Improvement in health and the environment.


Potential risks:


The danger of unintentionally introducing allergens and other antinutrition factors in foods.
The likelihood of transgenes escaping from cultivated crops into wild relatives.
The potential for pests to evolve resistance to the toxins produced by GM crops.
The risk of these toxins affecting nontarget organisms.

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