Genetic enhancement is not evolution. It is instead a sudden shift in the nature of a species. Effectively, a genetic enhancement of a plant or animal is smacking 100 generations of selective breeding, into one generation.
They can't splice genes they don't have. They can't create genes out of thin air either.
Roundup ready soybeans and corn were created by this process.
Plant 10,000 different varieties of bean or corn.
Spray 'em.
Figure out why those 3 plants lived.
Then, after locating the gene, they can splice it into a breed of high production corn, so they can get X number of bushels per acre the farmer needs to break even.
To be honest, I think RR corn and beans is a bad idea. We already have some Roundup resistant weeds, and killing volunteer RR corn in a bean field is almost impossible. You have to hire kids to walk the beans, which is what you are trying to avoid by spraying in the first damn place.
btw, I can't help myself on this one, pet peeve.
Soybean is one word.
And it is NEVER pronounced soya-bean
Mike the Iowan :P |
