Question

Explain the difference between selective breeding and genetic engineering in the development of food crops with desirable traits.
short paragraph

Answer 1

Selective breeding improves crops by choosing plants with desirable traits and repeatedly crossing them over generations, relying on naturally occurring variation within a species or close relatives and taking many seasons to combine traits. Genetic engineering directly alters a plant’s DNA—inserting, deleting, or editing specific genes (sometimes from other species)—so changes are faster and more precise but can introduce traits not achievable by traditional crosses and are subject to different regulatory, ecological, and ethical considerations.