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

Answer 1

Selective breeding is a process of breeding plants or animals with desired traits, such as disease resistance, drought tolerance, or increased yield. This is done by carefully selecting and mating individuals with desirable traits and gradually creating a population of offspring with more of those desired traits.

On the other hand, genetic engineering is the deliberate modification of an organism's genes using modern biotechnology techniques. This involves identifying and manipulating specific genes responsible for desirable traits, and introducing those genes into the organism's genome. This can result in the development of crop varieties with traits that may not have been possible through traditional breeding methods.

Selective breeding is a slower process as it involves selecting individuals over time based on desirable traits, while genetic engineering allows specific traits to be introduced and expressed more quickly. However, genetic engineering is often criticized due to its potential side-effects and ethical considerations, while selective breeding is generally considered to be a more natural and sustainable approach to producing desirable traits in food crops.