Cultivated sweet potatoes contain Agrobacterium inserted T - DNA that is absent in wild sweet potato relatives . A natural GMO ?

Genetic modification (GM) of food crops is a very hot topic in today’s society. When researchers discovered that certain bacteria had the ability to transfer their own DNA into plant genomes, the applications seemed endless. By taking advantage of this transfer DNA (T-DNA) mechanism, scientists can selectively transfer specific genes into the target plant to provide agronomic or health benefits. For example, Bt corn contains bacterial genes that prevent significant yield loss due to insect damage, and golden rice contains genes from corn and bacteria that together generate vitamin A precursors not typically found in rice, providing a nutritional benefit in the staple food crop.