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Article: SIDE LIGHTS.(facts about genetic modification of plants)
- Article from:
- Current Events, a Weekly Reader publication
- Article date:
- February 25, 2000
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2000 Weekly Reader Corp. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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* Genetic modification in agriculture is not a new development. Since the first person planted the first plant, humans have been unconsciously shaping the genetic character of food crops by selecting only those plants for seed that produced the best crops. Farmers selected plants that produced the largest potatoes or best ears of corn or most grains of rice to replant as seed. Gradually, crops produced larger and larger yields.
* A good example of how the genetic makeup of food crops has been changed by humans over the centuries can be seen in the development of corn. Corn was grown by American Indians 10,000 years ago. Scientists believe corn originally came ...