GMO PowerPoint By Sharlah Reynolds

Vocabulary

Let’s Explore! 1.Get with a partner and travel to the different centers of the room. 2.Using your notebooks: Write down what product is at that particular center. Then list the differences between the O product and G product by visualization, touching and tasting (when applicable). Example: Banana OG YellowBrownish FirmBruised SweetNot as sweet

Discussion On the board, list the observations made about the products at each center. – How are they the same? – How are they different? Explain the concept of Organic and Genetically Modified foods through the following slides.

Corn For 8,000 years, corn has been a staple in the diet of livestock and humans alike.

The problem… A number of pests plant their larvae into the corn stalk. The larvae hatch and becomes caterpillars. Caterpillars then eat the corn as they grow and mature. © 2012 Nature Education a, c, d photos courtesy of Marlin Rice, b photo courtesy of Gary Munkvold. All rights reserved.Nature Education

The Million Dollar Bug The European corn borer (Ostrinia nubilalis) was named the million dollar bug because it cost growers over a billion dollars annually in insecticides and lost crop yields.

Scientist inspecting maize roots from (a) non-Bt maize hybrid and (b) Bt maize hybrid (c)rootworm larva (white arrow) feeding on maize root (d)adult western corn rootworm. © 2012 Nature Education Photos (a), (d) courtesy of Marlin Rice; Photo (b) courtesy of John Tollefson. All rights reserved.Nature Education

What is Bt corn? Bt-corn is a type of (GMO) genetically modified organism. Bt stands for the term- Bacillus thuringiensis. Bacillus thuringiensis is a species of bacteria that produces proteins that are toxic to certain insects. This bacteria is found in soil naturally.

Corn can be genetically engineered to produce these specific toxins. Bt corn has resistance traits, which at high levels, reduce the damage from those pesky insects!

Corn Almost 85% of corn grown in the U.S. is genetically modified.

What other Foods are GM?

Yellow Crookneck Squash and Zucchini Genetically modified to protect against viruses GM squash with virus resistance (top) protects the squash from the damaging effects of the virus (bottom).

Cotton Cotton was infested with bollworm infestation. Bt cotton deflects insects much like Bt corn.

Papayas The ringspot virus and fungus rot were a huge problem for the Hawaiian papaya industry. Genetically modified papayas show resistance to the virus and fungus.

Soy Soy is modified for a variety of purposes. Most common modifications are resistance to insects and fungus AND enriching its vitamins, fat and/or protein content.

Milk Milk contains rBGH (recombinant bovine growth hormone). The hormone injected from bacteria allows higher milk yields by keeping milk-producing cells alive in cows for longer than normal.

“Golden Rice” Golden rice is genetically modified to increase levels of pro-vitamin A, vitamin E, iron, zinc, and to enhance protein.

Tomatoes The tomato was the very first widespread genetically modified food available in the United States. The tomato was bred with a gene that keeps the plant from producing polygalacturonase, an enzyme that's the starting point for rotting.

GMO Is it good?Is it bad?