Transgenic or not? No simple answer!

The global cultivation area of genetically modified plants (GMPs) includ ing soybean, maize, cotton, canola (oilseed rape) and sugar beet has been increasing consistently since they were first cultivated commercially in 1996, reaching 160 million hectares (ha) in 2011 [1]. By 2011, the global area of planted insectresistant crops was 66 million ha. The rapid adoption of insect-resistant crops indicates that they have become a primary tool for managing lepidopteran and coleopteran target pest species in cotton and maize [2]. Herbicide-resistant GMPs have changed weed management practices and made an important contribution to the global production of commodity crops [3]. Yet, most of these GMPs were created by using firstgeneration transgenic technologies: particle bombardment or Agrobacterium-mediated genetic engineering techniques. As such, they typically carry recombinant DNA from organisms including bacteria and viruses, as well as other plants, to provide resistance against pests or herbicides.