No. At worst, the insects controlled by the genetic traits in the GE crops will develop resistance in time, necessitating the return to the same amount of insecticide used before the advent of the GE crops. This is unlikely, though, since the makers of insecticides are continually improving them to be less toxic to non-target species, more environmentally friendly, and require a smaller dose. There are already some insecticides which require less than two ounces per acre for effective suppression of the target species. Compare this to some older formulations which required as much as three gallons per acre.
Genetically engineered crops, like corn and soybeans, are examples of biotechnology.
The dangers would be that the genetically engineered plants and crops can become harmful to the environment and society.
Some food staples, such as rice, contain more nutrients.
The only proven disadvantage to genetically modified (GM) crops is that some people have shown an alleregic reaction.
Genetically engineered crops are known to cause environmental damage in a number of ways, and may cause even more damage than we know. For one,are designed to survive the application of herbicides. This means that farmers can apply more powerful and toxic herbicides, such as Roundup or the main ingredient of Agent Orange, to their crops to kill weeds. These herbicides then leak into the water supply and harm animals and plants throughout the local environment. In addition, any animal that feeds on a GE crop is likely to suffer from health effects, such as organ damage, immune problems, infertility, etc. To make matters worse, GE crops can crossbreed with natural crops, contaminating the offspring with GE DNA. If GE crops are not banned soon, many crops such as corn, soy, cotton, and canola may be permanently contaminated.
It depends on how they are genetically engineered. The possibilities are almost endless (given time to research the idea) but there are 2 genetic modifications that seem to be most common. Making a crop easier to grow in harsher climates, or causing the crop to grow faster. There are also drawbacks, such as many genetically engineered crops having lower nutritional value, but scientists are constantly working on overcomming these problems, and most of the genetically engineered crops used today are free of these problems.
It depends on how they are genetically engineered. The possibilities are almost endless (given time to research the idea) but there are 2 genetic modifications that seem to be most common. Making a crop easier to grow in harsher climates, or causing the crop to grow faster. There are also drawbacks, such as many genetically engineered crops having lower nutritional value, but scientists are constantly working on overcomming these problems, and most of the genetically engineered crops used today are free of these problems.
Genetically engineered crops, like corn and soybeans, are examples of biotechnology.
Genetically engineered crops, like corn and soybeans, are examples of biotechnology.
The dangers would be that the genetically engineered plants and crops can become harmful to the environment and society.
They will help the environment by allowing farmers to use fewer pesticides.
Some food staples, such as rice, contain more nutrients.
This is scary. I have the exact same question for my bio homework.
By far the characteristic that is most often genetically engineered into crop plants is resistance to herbicides, with engineering crops to produce a substance that kills insects into the plant itself a close second.
Genetically modified crops are crops with plants that have been genetically altered in order to increase the yield of the crop. For example, the plant may have been genetically altered to become bigger or more resistant to bugs.
GM crops are produced much like other crops, except that many that are grown have been genetically engineered to be resistant to herbicides or to produce an insecticide in the plant itself.
Some GMO crops are genetically engineered to produce a substance that kills insects when they is eaten by them. It is for that reason that some GMO crops are classified as pesticides by the EPA.