Genetic Modification of Crops: Advantages and Disadvantages

This essay discusses the advantages and disadvantages of genetic modification of crops, including herbicide tolerance, resistance to pests, improved nutrient profiles, and conservation of the environment. It also covers potential drawbacks such as increased allergic reactions and contamination of fields.

Running head: AGRICULTURE AND NATURE - GENETICAL MODIFICATION OF CROPS
AGRICULTURE AND NATURE – GENETICAL MODIFICATION OF CROPS
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1AGRICULTURE AND NATURE - GENETICAL MODIFICATION OF CROPS
The genetic modification of the crops is one of the agricultural technologies that have
been adopted in the fastest possible manner. The implementation of the genetic modification in
the crops, majorly the staple crops that are produced after the implementation of the genetic
modification within the production of the given crops. The implementation of the genetic
modification has led to the herbicide tolerance of the major crops as well as resistance of the
crops towards the insects that are majorly known to be feasting on the crops (Huesing et al.
2016). The following essay deals with the discussion on the genetic modification within the
crops that are discussed within the agricultural practices of the present days.
The genetically modified crops refer to those plants that are used for the agricultural
practices after a modification of the genetical structure of the concerned crop. These crops are
generally known to have faced a change in their DNA through the implementation of the
methods of genetic engineering. One of the major reasons for the genetic modification of the
crops is to introduce a completely new trait within the given plant. The trait that is instilled
within the plant after the genetic modification tends to be a completely new trait for the given
species of the plant (Wang et al. 2016). The genetic modification of the crops at times lead to the
implementation of the needed resistance within concerned species of the plants regarding certain
pests, certain diseases, the concerned environmental conditions that the plant species have been
facing with. The genetic modification of the crops further includes that spoilage reduction within
the species of plants as well as the resistance of the concerned plant species to certain chemicals
treatments especially herbicides. The genetic modification of the crops also includes the
improvement of the concerned nutrient profile of the concerned crops (Huang et al. 2016). The
genetic modification of the crops might also be inclusive of the production of the various

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pharmaceutical agents, the biofuels and the several useful goods that have been useful for the
industrialization, as well as the processes of bioremediation.
The farmers all over the world are known to have adopted the processes of the
technologies of the genetic modification for the crops that they have been producing. The genetic
modification of the crops is one of the agricultural technologies that have been adopted in the
fastest possible manner. The implementation of the genetic modification in the crops, majorly the
staple crops that are produced after the implementation of the genetic modification within the
production of the given crops (Wang et al. 2016). The implementation of the genetic
modification has led to the herbicide tolerance of the major crops as well as resistance of the
crops towards the insects that are majorly known to be feasting on the crops. The genetically
modified maize crops during the year 2015 amounted to almost one-third of the total production
of maize all over the world. The total amount of maize that was produced using the genetically
modified version of the crop amounted to almost 53.6 million hectares in the year 2015
(Pellegrino et al. 2018). The crop was known to have demonstrated improvement in the matters
that are related to the production of the crops. The yield of the crop was known to have been
higher by almost 24.5% with a reduction of mycotoxins by 28.8%, thricotecens by almost 36.5%
and the quantities of fumonisin by 30.6% (Pellegrino et al. 2018). The results of the conducted
tests revealed that the several non-target organisms were left unharmed except for the
Braconidae, a parasitoid of the European corn borer, the parasite that targets the Lepidoptera that
is active within the Bt maize (Pellegrino et al. 2018). The genetically modified maize
demonstrated a higher decomposition of the biomass but the variation in the lignin content was
not so prominent.

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The genetic modification of the crops involves the insertion of the new DNA within the
genome of the plant. This is initially done with the help of the tissue culture wherein the plants
are developed. The seeds that are produced by the plants that have been treated with the genetic
modification are expected to bear the characteristics that are implemented within the
laboratories. The genetic modification of the plants involves the addition of a specific strand of
DNA within the genome of the plant and thus results in the development of the new trends
within the characteristics of the given plant (Kanchiswamy et al. 2015). The changes within the
plant might be inclusive of the changes within the growth tendencies of the plant, the increase of
the resistance of the concerned plant in the matters that are related to a certain disease or even a
group of diseases. The DNA of the concerned plant would be borne by the seeds that are
produced by the concerned plant (Allen 2010). The process of the genetic modification of the
concerned plant especially the crops tend to deal with the matters that are related to the
transference of the DNA fragments through the coating of the plant with the concerned DNA
strip. The other process of the DNA fragment transfer is the insertion of the bacteria or the virus
within the given plant. The bacteria that is generally used for the transferring the DNA genome
within the crops is the Agrobacterium tumefaciens (Barrows, Sexton and Zilberman 2014). The
genetic modification is mostly possible in cases wherein the plants have been known to have
completely accepted the DNA fragment that is inserted within the plant.
The genetic modification of the crops is known to have a great number of advantages for
the agricultural matters. The genetically modified crops are known to be modifiable according to
the needs of the health benefits. The crops can be modified to provide better nutritional value to
the concerned dish that is made with the crop in discussion. This helps the poor people to have
access to the proper nutritional value in their food that is required for the maintenance of the

4AGRICULTURE AND NATURE - GENETICAL MODIFICATION OF CROPS
health of the people who cannot afford to access the medicines and the other sources of nutrition
(Hakim 2016). The genetically modified crops are known to have a longer shelf life as compared
to their predecessors. The genetically modified crops are known to last longer after harvest as
compared to their predecessors. This helps in the dispatch of the food products to the areas that
experience food deserts or even the shortage of proper food. Thus, the conditions of the shortage
of food can be met in a proper and affordable way (Li et al. 2017). The price of the genetically
modified crops is generally known to be lower thereby leading to the conditions where in the
people residing within the poverty conditions tend to be gain access to the healthy food items.
The genetically modified crop items are generally known to have been requiring smaller land
expanses for the agricultural factors that are related to the cultivation of the crops (Ladics et al.
2015). The genetic modifications of the crop are at times known to have doubled the production
of the crops as compared to the predecessors of these crops. The local farmers who have
implemented the genetic modification techniques within the cultivation of the crops are known to
have almost doubled the production of the crops. The genetic modification of the crops is also
known to be useful in the conservation of the environment (Barrett 2010). The crops are known
to have been useful for the conservation of the energy resources, the soil of the area as well as
the water resources that are required for the proper cultivation of the crops.
The genetic modification of the crops might help the concerned farmers to grow larger
quantities of food within the lower budgets. The genetic modification of the crops also enables
the cultivation of the crops that would be able to feed the greater number of the population than
the predecessors. The genetic modification is known to have huge impacts on the ultimate
consumers of the crop. The genetic modification of rice, for example, might help in the reduction
of the deficiency of Vitamin A. This might be achieved by increasing the levels of the concerned

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vitamin within the given crop. The majority of the population of the world is known to consume
rice as a staple food on a daily basis (Klümper and Qaim 2014). Thus, the insertion of the given
vitamin within the crop might be helpful in the solution of the issues that are faced by the global
population on the matters related to the deficiency of the concerned vitamin (Garnett 2013). The
other modification that is being discussed in this light is the production of the soy beans that are
helpful for the production of the higher levels of the Omega-3s protein without the production of
the trans-fats. The genetic modification ensures that the crops are not exposed to the higher
number of the harmful agents (Thomas et al. 2017). These harmful agents might refer to the
pesticides, the herbicides that need to be applied to the crops in order to deal with the threats that
are related to the pests, the weeds and other such agents. This leads to the increment of the profit
of the farmers due to the lowering of the costs of production. The genetic modification also leads
to the higher amounts of the yields within the existing farms of the crops (Pino et al. 2016). The
genetic modification also helps in the matters of the increase in the production of the core crops.
The genetic variation helps in saving the concerned crop from being attacked by the infection
from the viruses (Qaim 2016). This, in the longer run helps in saving the concerned crop from
being extinct.
The genetic modification of the crops helps in the modification of the better methods of
the ground care methods that are implemented by the farmers. This also helps in the matters that
are related to the reduction of the soil erosion. The genetic modification of the crops is also
helpful in the elimination of the issues like the allergies and the issues related to the intolerance
for certain elements that are included in the given crops (Bonny 2016). The intolerance in the
matters that are related to the agents that might cause allergies can be reduced by implementing

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the genetic modification. The genetically modified crops are known to have been demanding less
water for their cultivation.
The genetically modified crops are also known to have a greater amount of the
disadvantages as well. The major disadvantages of the genetic modification of the crops are also
known to have some levels of the genetic modification within the crops. The commercialization
of the crops might lead to the implementation of the genetic changes within the concerned crop.
The genetic modification of the crops might also lead to the increase in the allergic reactions
within the end consumers of the products (Coleman-Derr and Tringe 2014). The food intolerance
of the concerned end consumers might be aggravated through the implementation of the genetic
modification. The genetic modification of the crops might also contaminate the fields wherein
the crops are being produced. The concerned crops might also be affected within the due to the
animal proteins that are either attached or have been produced from the crops (Erickson 2008).
The other disadvantage of the genetically modified crops aims at the encouragement of the
additional herbicides in the cultivation of the crops (Xiong, Ding and Li 2015). The genetic
modification of the crops helps in the creation of the super weeds and the super bugs. However,
the genetic engineering of the crops does not aim to solve all the issues that are related to
agriculture.
In lieu of the above discussion, the genetic modification of the crops might lead to the
proper conditions wherein the crops might face a proper cultivation. The genetic modification of
the crops is also known to be useful in the conservation of the environment. The crops are known
to have been useful for the conservation of the energy resources, the soil of the area as well as
the water resources that are required for the proper cultivation of the crops. The genetic
modification of the crops might help the concerned farmers to grow larger quantities of food

7AGRICULTURE AND NATURE - GENETICAL MODIFICATION OF CROPS
within the lower budgets. The genetic modification of the crops also enables the cultivation of
the crops that would be able to feed the greater number of the population than the predecessors.

8AGRICULTURE AND NATURE - GENETICAL MODIFICATION OF CROPS
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