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Politics : Politics for Pros- moderated
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To: neolib who wrote (262478)8/22/2008 12:07:57 PM
From: TimF  Read Replies (1) of 793917
 
Yes really.

"In the 1950s plant breeding included aspects of biotechnology. Radiation and chemical mutation breeding techniques were used to create artificial variation in an organism. Since mutations were random, the plant had to be assessed to find if a mutation had occurred, brought a desirable trait, or caused a negative effect."

fsrio.nal.usda.gov

"Another way to develop crops with new traits is to cause random gene mutations and select for them. This is analogous to spraying on the pages of a recipe book, then following the distorted recipes to see which work well, and recopying those recipes. Breeders have induced mutations using radiation, chemicals and high temperatures. Since the effect of mutation is random, it makes sense that crops developed by mutation ought to be even more thoroughly tested than crops developed by genetic engineers since the genetic engineers are not relying on luck to get their improved traits. Yet there is essentially no regulatory process for plant breeding in the United States, although Canada requires that all new types of cultivars be tested. "

"Cultivated bananas are seedless because they have three of each type of chromosome instead of the normal two of each type. Such plants are called ``triploid''. They are always sterile. Genetic triploid freaks arise from time to time in nature, but modern breeders can also use chemicals or electric shocks to create triploid mutant cells."

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