GM Ethics - Plants - Advantages and disadvantages table in A Level and IB Biology

Created by: Liv
Created on: 23-05-16 21:26


	GM Ethics - Plants
	Advantages Accumulation of beta-carotene in endosperm of seeds (Golden Rice) could combat vitamin A deficiency in the developing world where rice is the staple diet, hence reducing blindness. Resistance to pesticides allows application of weedkillers and increase in yield. Resistance to pests/fungal infections increases yield.	Disadvantages GM crops could hybridise with wild relatives so the genes are spread to wild populations. It could reduce the genetic diversity of the plant type (e.g rice). This means that all the clones are susceptible to the same environmental factors so a disease could lead to the extinction of the species. Genes could pass to weed/unwanted species giving them herbicide or pesticide resistance, forming 'super-weeds'. Genes for pest resistance could pass to other plant species, changing the stability of biological communities and possibly affecting many other organisms and food chains. GM plants may be toxic to other organisms, or lead to allergic responses in humans. Plants resistant to pathogens could stimulate the more rapid evolution of attack mechanisms in these pathogens. Seeds of GM crops may be expensive and need to be bought each year, which could lead to the economic exploitation of farmers in developing countries. The plants (e.g rice) may not grow in all areas that is needed due to do climate. There are debates as to whether the vitamin A content of Golden Rice is sufficient.
	Evaluation Genetically modified crops may be required to solve the problems of hunger and malnutrition due to a growing human population, but at the cost of biodiversity. Care must be taken to keep the GM genes isolated from wild populations to avoid a decrease in genetic diversity and a disruption to ecosystems.

GM Ethics - Plants

Advantages

Accumulation of beta-carotene in endosperm of seeds (Golden Rice) could combat vitamin A deficiency in the developing world where rice is the staple diet, hence reducing blindness.
Resistance to pesticides allows application of weedkillers and increase in yield.
Resistance to pests/fungal infections increases yield.

Disadvantages

GM crops could hybridise with wild relatives so the genes are spread to wild populations.
It could reduce the genetic diversity of the plant type (e.g rice). This means that all the clones are susceptible to the same environmental factors so a disease could lead to the extinction of the species.
Genes could pass to weed/unwanted species giving them herbicide or pesticide resistance, forming 'super-weeds'.
Genes for pest resistance could pass to other plant species, changing the stability of biological communities and possibly affecting many other organisms and food chains.
GM plants may be toxic to other organisms, or lead to allergic responses in humans.
Plants resistant to pathogens could stimulate the more rapid evolution of attack mechanisms in these pathogens.
Seeds of GM crops may be expensive and need to be bought each year, which could lead to the economic exploitation of farmers in developing countries.
The plants (e.g rice) may not grow in all areas that is needed due to do climate.
There are debates as to whether the vitamin A content of Golden Rice is sufficient.

Evaluation

Genetically modified crops may be required to solve the problems of hunger and malnutrition due to a growing human population, but at the cost of biodiversity. Care must be taken to keep the GM genes isolated from wild populations to avoid a decrease in genetic diversity and a disruption to ecosystems.

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GM Ethics - Plants

GM Ethics - Plants

Advantages

Disadvantages

Evaluation

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GM Ethics - Plants

Advantages

Disadvantages

Evaluation

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