Introduction 2

Question 1

What are the two types of selective breeding?

Answer 1

• Inbreeding: Breeding with very close relatives.

- Crossbreeding: Breeding between two unrelated individuals.

Question 2

What are the advantages of genetic engineering over classical breeding?

Answer 2

• Takes less time
• Gene of interest can be obtained from totally unrelated species.
• Predictable and specific
• Useful for obvious traits

Question 3

What was the first GE plant?

Answer 3

Tobacco

Question 4

Give some examples of GE agricultural products and their advantages.

Answer 4

• GE papaya: Resistance to papaya ringspot virus.
• Bt corn: Pest resistance
• RoundUp Ready Soybeans: herbicide resistance.

Question 5

What are some useful traits that GE introduces into crops?

Answer 5

• Insect resistance
• Virus resistance
• Herbicide resistance
• Delayed fruit ripening
• Enhanced nutritional properties.

Question 6

What is molecular farming?

Answer 6

Molecular farming is the use of genetically engineered plants or animals to produce valuable compounds.

Question 7

What are edible vaccines?

Answer 7

Edible vaccines are plant materials that would confer immunity against diseases when ingested.

Question 8

What are the controversies of GM crops?

Answer 8

• Insect resistant crops: May cause resistant pest, Bt pollen may spread to other plants and cause pest resistance, Bt crops may affect non-target organisms.
• Disease Resistance: Evolution of new virus
• Weedicide tolerant plants: Possibility of developing SuperWeeds - weedicide resistant weeds.