Genetic Modification of Grains

In an article posted on ScienceDaily, it appears that scientists have found a new approach to genetic modification of grains. Genetically modified plants and a variety of foods have caused controversy, but research is still persistent on improving the techniques done to make GMO's possible. Over the years, it has not been easy to find a method of genetic modification for grain crops. Previously, methods have been tried using a bacterium called Agrobacterium which transfers DNA to its host genome and further stimulates tissues to regenerate into whole plants. The problem with this is that the bacterium infects a small range of grain cultivars.

Researchers at DuPont changed the game and increased the genetic modification rates for many of maize cultivars. This was done by adding morphogenic genes to the other genes being modified. In other research, morphogenic genes help production of embryonic tissue. With these increased numbers of maize cultivars the technique was tried and successful with sorghum, rice and sugarcane. I think this is a great breakthrough despite the controversy that genetically modifying something often causes. As our population expands, it is necessary to have large quantities of these amounts. With the use of transgenic plants and gene modification, the population of these plants can continue to grow and benefit humans as well as scientific research.