SAES_Ch18

Term	Definition
	Organisms that have had their genetic information modified to give them desirable characteristics such as pest or drought resistance.
	An organism that contains genes from another species.
	Focuses on the production of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) to increase crop productivity or create new varieties of crops.

1.

Which of the following about GMOs is FALSE?

GMO plants are only modified with genes from other plants.

The genes transferred into organisms during genetic modification may sometimes transfer to other species.

In the United States, most processed foods contain GMOs.

Growing GMOs is prohibited or highly regulated in China.

999

Try again.

Correct.

Incorrect.

2.

Bacillus thuringiensis is _________________. (check all that apply)

a. a bacterium

b. the source of the pesticide Bt

c. used to transfer new genes into plant cells

d. harmful to most plants

999

Try again.

Correct.

Incorrect.

3.

Plasmids are _________________. (check all that apply)

a. organelles based on chloroplasts

b. small circular pieces of DNA

c. naturally found in bacteria

d. used to transfer new genes into plant cells

999

Try again.

Correct.

Incorrect.

4.

After a new gene is inserted into plant cells, the first plants with the gene are grown from:

cell culture.

seeds.

grafts.

implanted eggs.

999

Try again.

Correct.

Incorrect.

5.

Golden rice is a variety of GMO rice with genes from different organisms (including daffodils and corn) added to make it produce vitamin A in the edible part of the rice. It was developed because most areas of the world with widespread vitamin-A deficiencies (which can cause blindness in children) also consume most of their dietary calories as rice. Choose the correct order of steps for creating golden rice.

Image	Step

6.

Genetic modification has been used to confer all of the following EXCEPT:

fire resistance.

herbicide resistance.

improved vitamin content.

pest resistance.

999

Try again.

Correct.

Incorrect.

7.

Which of the following is a TRUE statement regarding GMOs?

All potential health threats from GMOs have been shown to be minimal.

GMOs are generally seen as a blessing in developing countries.

GMOs are patented by a few corporations and they are generally expensive.

GMOs can be certified organic.

999

Try again.

Correct.

Incorrect.

8.

The term _______ refers to GMO crops that are engineered to survive being sprayed with a particular kind of herbicide so that weeds around it can be killed easily.

999

Try again.

Correct.

Incorrect.

9.

MC: The gene for the substance Bt was found in and is used to in GMOs.

999

Try again.

Correct.

Incorrect.

10.

To date, _______________ have been genetically modified to have a better nutrient profile.

both crops and animals

only food animals

no crops or animals

only crops

999

Try again.

Correct.

Incorrect.

11.

Thought Question: To date, no genetically modified animal has actually been approved for consumption or sale. Why do you think that is?

There are a number of reasons. First is that crops were successfully modified before there was any public opposition to them. By the time animals were successfully modified, there was sufficient negative publicity to slow their approval. There is probably also an emotional component to this. It is perhaps less appealing to think of a GMO animal since we are animals. Furthermore, the source of the genes can cause negative reactions. For example, the omega-3 gene added to pigs was found in a roundworm, a non-parasitic roundworm to be true, but still a little distasteful to consider.

12.

Thought Question: Golden rice was first developed in 2000 and was re-modified a few years later to produce more vitamin A, but it will only start being grown in 2013, or perhaps later as there is opposition to its production. Can you think of any reasons why?

There could be any of the already-mentioned reasons that people are opposed to GMOs, but there is also the idea that the effort should be to provide a variety of crops for the people in these regions rather than just "fixing" the rice they already have. Sweet potatoes, for example, grow well in most of the climates in which rice will grow and have the highest vitamin-A content of any vegetable.

Short-Answer Questions

Suppose you are a farmer trying to make your farming operation greener. What could you do, given the following circumstances, to improve the sustainability of your farm? Make sure to explain the advantages and disadvantages of each circumstance.

1) You have only grown soybeans in the past.

2) Your farm is located on rolling hills.

3) You have always relied on synthetic fertilizers.

4) You have to irrigate your crops heavily.

5) You have to use a lot of pesticides.

6) You also raise cattle.

1) Growing a monoculture crop leads to increased pest damage since they come to rely on a steady food source. It also increases the chance that a pathogen could cause widespread damage since there is no genetic variety. Finally, since the crops are always pulling the same nutrients out of the soil each year, monocultures can deplete the soil’s nutrients. Solution: Rotate your crops and/or use strip planting.

2) If the terrain is hilly and crops are planted in straight rows, there is an increased chance of erosion. Solution: Contour farming is a better way to prevent erosion.

3) Synthetic fertilizers can run off into surface water, causing eutrophication, or seep into groundwater, contaminating it. The negative side of the increased plant growth is that the fertilized plants will remove other micronutrients from the soil at an unsustainable rate. Solution: Plant a nitrogen-fixing cover crop and combine that with reduced-tillage farming for greater effect. (This is just one example of a solution.)

4) Current rates of crop irrigation are unsustainable. Solution: Reduced-tillage farming, cover crops, and choosing crops adapted for the local climate can all reduce water demands.

5) Pesticide use can also kill beneficial organisms, and its effect on the ecosystem is unknown. Solution: Crop rotation and strip planting can help interrupt pest life cycles. There are many biocontrols available to combat pests, such as lady bugs, which are the natural predators of aphids, insects that suck the sap out of crops, decreasing their fitness.

6) Raising cattle on corn-based feed uses excess resources, creates eutrophying waste, and can lead to antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Solution: Raising the cattle on grass reduces the chance of harmful antibiotic-resistant bacterial growth, the number of food resources being diverted from human consumption, the amounts of water and fossil fuels needed for operations, and the amount of waste produced (since it is used to fertilize the grass).

Chapter 18. Chapter 18: Agriculture

What is the focus of the Green Revolution 2.0...?

Guiding Question 18.5

Test Your Vocabulary

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.