Starlink Corn : A Risk Analysis

By Bucchini, Luca

Book Id: WPLBN0000231347
Format Type: PDF eBook
File Size: 0.6 MB
Reproduction Date: 2005

Title:	Starlink Corn : A Risk Analysis
Author:	Bucchini, Luca
Volume:
Language:	English
Subject:	Government publications, United Nations., United Nations. Office for Disarmament Affairs
Collections:	Government Library Collection, Disarmament Documents
Historic Publication Date:
Publisher:	United Nations- Office for Disarmament Affairs (Unoda)


Citation APA MLA Chicago Bucchini, L. (n.d.). Starlink Corn : A Risk Analysis. Retrieved from http://gutenberg.us/

Description
Government Reference Publication

Excerpt
Excerpt: Selective breeding of plants has been one of the most significant achievements of human civilization; it has resulted in major agronomic improvements and in an ability to adequately provide food to large human populations. Conventional plant breeding involves genetic manipulation via crosses of sexually compatible plants and selection for the offspring that have desirable characteristics (such as fruit quantity and quality, pest resistance, and agricultural requirements). More recently, conventional plant breeding has also involved use of technologies such as irradiation that randomly induce mutations that can allow plant breeders to select for new, desirable traits. Biotechnology-based breeding involves direct transfer of specific genetic information in its pure DNA form; unlike radiation, it is a selective process, in that the desired trait and the genetic code that expresses the protein responsible for the trait have been identified and characterized in the parent organism. The process of gene transfer often involves modification of the transferred DNA for better functioning in the new host. Because only a well-characterized segment of DNA is transferred, biotechnology- based breeding is considered to be more precise than conventional breeding, which involves many uncharacterized linked genes. Nonetheless, uncertainties still surround genomic alterations due to the insertion site of the DNA (which is random) and metabolic changes due to the new proteins expressed (which are difficult to predict).