GM plants: concepts and issues

Abstract

In the late 1980's, genetically modified plants were restricted to the laboratory. At the millennium, the products of plant genetic modification are reaching the consumer via the supermarket shelf. The concepts behind the technology of the genetic modification of plants and its application are complex. A diverse range of opinions, public concern, and considerable media interest accompanies the subject. Such features make it an ideal topic for classroom discussion at many levels, both within the biological sciences and within broader teaching of general studies, religious education, ethics, and morality. In this review, we illustrate the key concepts and issues involved in plant genetic engineering by presenting a series of questions and answers which can be used in a wide range of teaching activities.