Information and Guide to Plant Genetic Engineering

Michael Bevan
John Innes Centre
Norwich, UK

The introduction of genetically engineered (or GM) crop plants and foods has given rise to several concerns in Europe and elsewhere.  Proponents claim the technology improves agricultural productivity, has the potential to reduce the use of herbicides and pesticides, to increase yields, and is needed to breed the next generation of crops to meet a wide range of new threats to our food security. On the other hand opponents of the technology suggest that genetically engineered crop plants and products may harm the environment and human health, may cause unintended genetic changes in other plants, and permit vendors of GM seeds to gain an unacceptable degree of control of the food chain. Many people also want to know more about how food is produced and what it contains so they can make their own choices about the origins of the food they consume.
 
As the application of genetics underlies the production of crop plants, the Genetics Society aims to provide the public with information on how genetic principles are used to create crop plants and provide information on future trends in crop plant genetics. The purpose of this report is to describe GM technology, to explain how it differs from plant breeding, and to outline future developments in this area.