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done by four primary methods, i.e.
selective breeding, mutagenesis,
RNA interference, transgenics.
Selective breeding has been in
use since quite a long time and
is the oldest method of genetic
modification. It is therefore not
included in the GMO food category.
In selective breeding, a specific
targeted characteristic is achieved
by introducing and breeding
two strains of plants, whereas
in mutagenesis, chemicals and
radiation are used to mutate the
organisms. The resulting offsprings
with the targeted traits are kept and
further bred. Even the process of
mutagenesis is excluded from the
GMO food category. However, the
last two methods, RNA interference
and transgenics are counted among
the genetic engineering types. As
said by the FDA, certain crops go
through genetic engineering to
enhance crop yield, make them
resistant to insect damage and
immune to the common plant
diseases as well as make them
capable of having high nutritional
value. Such genetically modified
crops are commonly known by the
name of GMO crops.
According to Nitya Jacob, crop
scientist at Oxford College of Emory
University in Georgia, GMO crops
present a lot of promise in solving
agricultural issues. As per the
statistics by the FDA, cotton, corn
and soybeans are among the most
commonly grown crops in the U.S.
and almost 93 percent of soybeans
and 88 percent of corn crops are
genetically modified. Genetically
modified GMO crops like cotton can
resist insects thereby eliminating
the need to spray pesticides on them
that could have possibly become
the cause of groundwater and
environment contamination.
In spite of this, the widespread
usage and cultivation of GMO crops
has stirred up some controversies.
Jacob says that GMOs can have a
negative impact on the environment.
There is a possibility that pollen
from GMO crops can drift to the
fields of non-GMO crops and weed
populations leading to non-GMOs
acquiring the traits of GMO crops
due to cross-pollination.
Now it has become tough for
individual and small-scale farmers
after several large biotechnology
firms started to monopolize the
GMO crop industry. So instead of
working away from them, farmers
can choose to work along with
biotech firms in order to reap the
benefits of increased crop yields and
reduced pesticide costs.
Genetically Modifying
Animals and Humans
Often livestock are selectively bred
to enhance growth rate, muscle
mass and disease resistance. Taking
chicken for example, certain lines of
chicken raised for meat are known
to grow faster than they used to
back in the 1960s. Presently, chicken
are not genetically engineered and
therefore are not put under the
category of GMO food products.
According to the National Human
Genome Research Institute,
scientists have been modifying
lab animals to research on ways
biotechnology can help in treating
human disease and repair tissue
damage. One of the latest forms of
this technology is called CRISPR
that is based on the ability of
the bacterial immune system to
use CRISPR regions and Cas9
enzymes to deactivate foreign DNA
that enters a bacterial cell.
CRISPR technology is being used to
develop cures for cancer and to find
and edit single pieces of DNA that
may lead to disease in the future.
Genetic engineering can also find
application in stem cell therapy
as well as in regenerating tissue
damaged from a stroke or heart
attack.
Though the technology is at
our disposal, pursuing genetic
modification experiments on human
is inherently problematic and
controversial. In addition to that, the
risks associated with that are not
known.
SR
MARCH 2019
25