Chapter 11, Problem 1SL

Review Burning Question 11.11, which describes the difference between selective breeding and genetic engineering. Why do you think that selectively bred plants are generally acceptable to consumers, whereas many people avoid genetically engineered foods? Some scientists are suggesting “rewilding” crops—that is, genetically modifying crop plants to restore genes that were bred out many generations ago. The genes, which would come from ancient plant varieties that had not undergone selective breeding, might improve drought tolerance or confer other useful traits. Do you think the resulting plants, which would technically be genetically modified organisms, would be more acceptable to consumers than plants receiving genes from a bacterium? Why or why not?