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  • Essay / Genetically modified foods: for or against

    Genetically modified organisms have become a very controversial topic in science despite the fact that people have been modifying the genes of crops for years. This raises the question of why this topic has become an issue. Genetic engineering mainly refers to methods that use recombinant DNA technology (gene cloning). Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Genetically modified crops are crops whose original DNA composition has been altered to produce a version of the crop that has desirable characteristics. The concept of editing a crop's genes is not a new technology at all. Technology that has the ability to remove undesirable characteristics and add desired characteristics to an organism must have major advantages and disadvantages for humanity. Genetically modified crops have caused turmoil in communities around the world, raising ethical questions. Seed banks are places where seeds are stored in order to preserve genetic diversity. Seed banks store various seeds from different times and places, ensuring the biodiversity of future plants. Based on my extensive research, I have seen the negative impacts of GMC, but I do not believe that this practice should stop due to the major benefits and potential it holds. Introduction Genetically modified organisms have become a very controversial subject in science despite the fact that people have been modifying crop genes for years. This raises the question of why this topic has become an issue for both farmers and consumers when scientists have demonstrated the benefits of this science. In this report, we will discuss the pros and cons of genetically modified crops as well as the ethical questions surrounding the topic, and whether they are truly the answer to world hunger. My first opinion on the GMC is positive. I believe it plays a role in producing crops with higher yield and quality and therefore plays a key role in ending world hunger. In order to fully understand the concept of genetically modified crops, we need to understand the science of genetic engineering. According to Britannica Encyclopaedia and Science YouTuber, Kurzgesagt, genetic engineering was initially the term used to refer to different techniques in which the composition of an organism was changed or manipulated through the process of heredity and reproduction. In the 20th century, however, the term primarily refers to methods that use recombinant DNA technology (gene cloning) where segments of the DNA molecule from multiple sources are combined into a cell which is then placed into the host organism where the cell containing the combined DNA is allowed to multiply or form further. Genetically modified crops are crops whose original DNA composition has been altered to produce a version of the crop that has desirable characteristics such as larger size or better taste. The concept of editing a crop's genes is not a new technology at all. According to various literatures, humans modified the genes of organisms to meet their dietary needs around 10,000 years ago through a process called selective breeding, in which humans take the culture they wish to modify and mate it with crops with desirable characteristics. ,until the farmer is satisfied with the crop's product, the classic example being corn made from a teosinte grass. Selective breeding was officially declared a scientific practice by Robert Bakewell during the British agricultural revolution in the 18th century. Although genetically modified crops rely on selective breeding, the two methods differ greatly in terms of precision and accuracy. Selective breeding mainly occurred by chance, whereas GMCs are more precise and precise. GMCs are made by extracting DNA from the crop and "deleting" the unwanted trait or "cutting" the desired traits from the DNA of another crop, placing that trait into the DNA of the selected crop and by placing this DNA into crops that are still developing. If the traits are taken from one culture and placed into the DNA of the same type of crop, scientists call that GMC crop a "cisgenic" crop, but if the trait is taken from a completely different culture, that culture is called “transgenic”. The ability to remove unwanted traits and add desired traits to an organism must have incredible benefits for humanity. Some of the major benefits of genetically modified crops are: Consumers. Longer lifespan due to the fact that crops can be made more resilient to diseases, pests and drought. Plants are also made to produce more nutrients. According to livestrong.com, Asian countries are planting genetically modified rice that contains an increased amount of iron and vitamins needed by the human body. GMCs can also prove useful in reducing excessive use of the world's natural resources. Since plants can be made more efficient, for example by needing less water, farmers can limit their water needs as well as land use and soil corrosion, thereby saving water and energy, making agriculture more ecological. friendly.Even though genetic modification shows promise in crop production, modifying an organism's genes can carry enormous risks and downsides, including: “Creating “super weeds” according to vittana.orgvittana. org vittana.org- Because GMCs have been made more resistant to weeds, natural selection can occur due to weeds becoming stronger against chemicals designed to destroy them. Increased allergic responses in humans due to proteins/allergens present in genetically modified crops. Production of toxins if the "desired trait" is damaged when placed in the DNA molecule. Ingredients may be cancerous - Dr Stanley Ewen, consultant histopathologist at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, has raised concerns that GMCs could increase the growth of malignant tumors through contact with humans. Later, other studies suggested a link between modified foods and cancer. Genetically modified crops have caused turmoil in communities around the world, raising ethical issues such as not knowing where the food they ingest comes from if it is not produced naturally. Genetic modification is still a new technology with many unknowns about the harmful effects it can cause. It is because of these issues that many people around the world are protesting the production of GMO crops, calling them "unnatural" and "dangerous to humans and animals." Some ethical and legal concerns include: Cross-pollination:GMO crop genes spreading to other plants may be good with other food crops achieving damage resistant qualities, however, the genes could spread to weeds and make them difficult to kill. Pest-resistant crops can harm animals: the gene that deters crop pests could also be harmful to the animals that eat them; However, according to Science YouTuber, Kurzgesagt, there is a study that shows that these genes have no effect on the human body or animals. Foods made with GMC are not currently allowed to say that they are genetically modified, so people who do not want to eat GMC, I have no way of saying that GMC poses a risk to l environment and the food web. Although genetic modification was designed to reduce the impact of agriculture on the environment, GMCs have triggered the increase in the use of the herbicide glyphosate. According to Food & Water Watch, GMCs were initially designed to reduce the use of herbicides/pesticides, but this has not been the case. In fact, according to USDA and EPA data used in their report, the rapid adoption of genetically modified crops by farmers has increased herbicide use over the past 9 years in the United States. The report as well as a report by Washington State University research professor Charles Benbrook both focus on the topic of "super weeds" that become resistant to herbicides used despite their variations, and therefore, more herbicides are used. Seed banks are where seeds are stored in order to preserve genetic diversity according to Sourcetrace.com. Seed banks are considered “libraries” of seeds and play a very important role in the restoration of endangered plants. Seed banks also provide assurance of food availability if food supplies decline. Science.Howstuffworks.com provides us with a very good explanation of how seed banks work. They describe it as a “bank account” where seeds are “deposited” and “withdrawn” when needed in the future. Scientists use these seeds for planting in case the plant/crop dies, so it is very important to preserve seed banks. Naturally produced seed banks are seed banks made in nature. One scenario of naturally produced seed banks is where the seeds fall onto leaf litter. It is not a permanent method unlike its artificial counterpart. Artificial seed banks are artificial structures used for the sole purpose of preserving seeds over time. Artificial seed banks are beneficial in the production of GMC because if something goes wrong during the production of these crops, the crops can be scraped and a seed from a seed bank can be planted. Seed banks allow seeds to remain present and safe from extinction over time. Ecologically, seed banks represent local “reservoirs of biodiversity” that can contribute to the persistence of plant populations and the maintenance of biodiversity through temporal storage effects, as well as population remains. In conclusion, seed banks store various seeds from different times and places, thus ensuring biodiversity of future plants. Growth regulators are natural in seeds because they are responsible for seed germination. In seed banks, these seed regulators.