WHICH
GENES HAVE BEEN USED MOST UP TO THE PRESENT IN FOOD PRODUCTION?
More than 70% of genetically modified crops have been developed
with the aim of making them resistant to herbicides. The soya plant
is one such example.
A considerable proportion of transgenic crops are genetically engineered
to produce a natural herbicide. Crops engineered in this manner
produce toxins which are not harmful to human beings who consume
the product, but which are lethal for certain insects infesting
the plant. For example, the larvae of the bean seed fly, which can
bore tunnels through the stems and cobs of corn, thus annihilating
the harvest. |
