·
In this blog post, we will focus on the topic of GM crops in I/GCSE Biology. Let's get started! 🐿️
Making GM crops
- Bacteria called agrobacterium used
- gets gene inside nucleus of cells
- joins with cell’s DNA
![broken image](http://custom-images.strikinglycdn.com/res/hrscywv4p/image/upload/c_limit,fl_lossy,h_9000,w_1200,f_auto,q_auto/4936730/772510_822962.png)
Different modifications
In I/GCSE Biology, make sure you understand the following points!
Herbicide – a chemical that kills plants, used to treat weeds in crops
- Some GM crops have gene for herbicide resistance
Plants compete for water + nutrients
- Weed plants reduce amount of food harvested
- Herbicides damage weed plant
- Crops resistant to herbicide ➡️ crops sprayed by herbicide ➡️ kills weeds + crop not damaged
- Crops modified with poison which kills insects that eat plants
- reduces damage to crops in yield
![broken image](http://custom-images.strikinglycdn.com/res/hrscywv4p/image/upload/c_limit,fl_lossy,h_9000,w_1200,f_auto,q_auto/4936730/380337_772354.png)
The pros and cons of GM crops
In I/GCSE Biology, the pros and cons of GM crops is commonly asked in exam!
- GM crop seeds cost more
- Companies producing seed for herbicide resistant crops also produce the herbicide the crop is resistant to – good for company, not for farmer
- Concern – gene transfer through pollination – happens occasionally between close related plants, the gene for herbicide resistance could be transferred to the weed crops
- People concerned about safety of food produced from GM crops (tested on animals)
Look at the summary below!
![broken image](http://custom-images.strikinglycdn.com/res/hrscywv4p/image/upload/c_limit,fl_lossy,h_9000,w_1200,f_auto,q_auto/4936730/610264_230059.jpeg)
And we're done with this topic! Well Done!
![broken image](http://custom-images.strikinglycdn.com/res/hrscywv4p/image/upload/c_limit,fl_lossy,h_9000,w_1200,f_auto,q_auto/4936730/903424_717900.png)
Drafted by Alyssa (Biology)
References:
- "Agrobacterium", https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/l80BGqZeB-U1feISfi-zZmwB7q7vWvb7L1I8RTj0xqQXKx1SRZyLeY-H3HSXYe7a3bqwyv8ov_F-e6C3A02PEkr98jsN_jLQYMUAwzpQgXVDd505qnsQOYteS8ofieZDeuqJ0fk
- "What Is Herbicide Resistance?", https://www.cottoninc.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Slide3.PNG_lesson3.png
- "iGCSE Biology Section 5 lesson 2", https://slideplayer.com/slide/10472590/35/images/65/Genetically+Modified+Crops.jpg