The Benefits of using GM (Genetically Modified) plants outweigh the risks

Authors Avatar

The Benefits of using GM (Genetically Modified) plants outweigh the risks

Genetically Modified organisms, mainly plants have always been a controversial and highly debated topic in our modern world of agribusiness and mass production. It involves obtaining desirable genes from different organisms and inserting them into the genes of plants. For example potato plants that are resistant to attack by a virus and maize (corn) plants that are resistant to droughts have been produced in this way (Indge, 2000).  Plants can be genetically modified in one of two main ways. One way is using the bacterium, Agrobacterium tumifaciens, as a vector and the second is to use a gene gun in a process known as particle bombardment or biolistics.

Agrobacterium tumefaciens can be used as a vector to transfer some of its own DNA (T-DNA) into the plant genome, causing tumours in what are known as ‘natural infections.’ The replacement of the T-DNA in the bacterium with genes of the desired characteristics means after infection the plant will display the desired characteristic (McHugen, 2000). This method has mainly been used to modify broad leaved plants, such as sugar beet and oilseed rape, but is now also being applied to crops such as maize and rice ().

The second method, particle bombardment or biolistics, uses a gene gun which fires tiny gold particles coated with DNA of the desired characteristic and traits which enters the plant cells (The Guardian, GM crops, Tuesday June 3rd 2003). This approach is currently being used for monocot plants such as maize and rice.

One great advantage of GM crops is that they can be modified to show increased resistance to bacterial, fungal and viral disease as well to pests. For example Late blight of potato is caused by the fungus Phytophtora infestans, the disease which was responsible for the great Irish potato famine of 1846-47. It led to the deaths of more than one million people. Nowadays genetic technology can solve this using chemical fungicides which are used to combat for yield losses as well as keep crops free of toxic compounds produced by some pathogenic fungi (http://www.gmo-compass.org/eng/agri_biotechnology/breeding_aims/148.disease_resistant_crops.html).

Join now!

Another example is Ingard cotton in Australia where heliothis caterpillars were the main problem with the yield of non-GM cotton, and so farmers resorted to an insecticide called endosulfan. This chemical leached into food chains leading to bioaccumulation. Consequently through genetic modification a poison generating gene was directly inserted into the DNA resulting in a pest resistant crop.

Perhaps the main benefits of GM crops are felt in developing counties by farmers in LEDC’s whose costs of production are significantly reduced due to higher yield varieties which has helped solve food shortages. A huge benefit of GM crops is ...

This is a preview of the whole essay