Biotech
Primer

For centuries farmers and gardeners have attempted to alter and improve the plants they grow. In the past this was done by crossbreeding one plant or flower with another in the hope of producing a plant with particular qualities such as a larger flower or a sweeter fruit. The processes used in the past attempted to bring about changes in plants by combining all the characteristics of one plant with those of another.

But as our understanding of plant life has grown, scientists have found ways of speeding up this process and making it more precise and reliable. It is now possible to identify exactly which genes are responsible for which traits. Using this information, scientists can make small and specific changes to a plant without affecting it in other ways.

An example of this is a potato which has been genetically modified to give it a built-in resistance to the Colorado beetle, which can destroy potato crops, thus reducing the need for chemical pesticides.