Some facts about genetically modified (GM) plants

Humans have cultivated plants for thousands of years, during which time crop plants have been continually selected for improved yield and other desirable characteristics. The improvement of a plant species by conventional techniques involves the selection for breeding purposes of certain plants that express important characteristics. As a result of human intervention in selecting which plants to use for production of offspring, it is possible to produce new varieties at a much faster rate than would occur in the wild situation. Crop species have therefore been selected for a large number of different characteristics, resulting in a great number of varieties being produced to help feed the expanding World population. In their search for new characteristics, particularly for genes conferring pest and disease resistance, plant breeders continue to seek novel sources of breeding materials to bypass the normal barriers to sexual crosses. For example, in their search for fungal resistance genes, sunflower breeders use a technique called embryo rescue. Modern genetics offers an important additional source of such genes.