Whats new about so-called genetically modified plants?
Over this century we’ve been introducing an awful lot of technologies in addition to the original selection and breeding. I think a lot of people don’t realize this. We’ve been using mutagenesis breeding since the middle part of this century, and it’s still done quite a lot. … Several plants–in fact, something like 1,800 cultivars–have been introduced using this mutagenesis breeding approach. … Another type of technology that was introduced in the middle of this century is a technology called wide cross, or embryo rescue. In this instance, you’re crossing two plants that are not sexually compatible, that is, species that would never interact in nature. Basically you’re using scientific tricks to go in there and rescue that embryo that would normally be lost. … There’s a large number of products that come into the market each year, produced using these wide crosses. … Historically, genetic engineering was used for other applications, such as medicine, and in making enzymes, an
