Overview: Plant molecular biology came to the fore in the early 1980s and there has been tremendous growth in the subject since then. The study of plant genes and genomes and the development of techniques for the incorporation of novel or modified genes into plants eventually led to the commercialization of genetically modified (GM) crops in the mid-1990s. This was seen as the start of a biotechnological revolution in plant breeding. However, plant biotechnology has become one of the hottest debates of the age and, in Europe at least, one of the greatest challenges that plant scientists have ever faced. This book covers the history and development of the science and techniques that underpin plant biotechnology. It describes the GM crops that are or have been grown commercially around the world, including failures as well as successes, and the new varieties that are being developed. The safety record of GM crops is reviewed together with the legislation that has been adopted to cover th

"This book describes the history and development of the science and techniques that underpin plant biotechnology, GM crops that are grown commercially around the world and the new varieties that are being developed. It covers failures as well as successes. The safety record of GM crops is reviewed together with the legislation that has been adopted to cover their use. The book also deals with the concerns of consumers, the GM crop debate and the prospects for the technology."--Jacket

"The purpose of Genetically Modified Planet is to go beyond environmental rhetoric to investigate for concerned nonscientists the state of scientific research on genetically modified plants." "The prevailing notion among many people and in the press is that the environmental impacts of biotechnology are negative. After examining the science, C. Neal Stewart, Jr., argues that there are indeed real and potential risks to growing engineered crops, but that there are also real and overwhelmingly positive environmental benefits."--Jacket.

Includes interviews from both sides of the (farmyard) fence; from biologists to farmers and nutritionists to activists, Good Enough to Eat? charts the history of GM foods from the laboratory to the global dinner plate. Equally informative and entertaining, Godwin chronicles the social, political and philosophical arguments for and against GM crops, and the science and knowledge behind the battle for global food security and sustainability.

This book aims to understand these dynamics, examining the impacts of GM crops in diverse contexts and their potentials to contribute to sustainable agricultural futures. Part 1 draws on research from three global 'rising powers' - Brazil, India and Mexico - exploring the views of scientists, farmers and publics. Using a diverse array of ethnographic and qualitative methodologies, the book examines the dynamics that have underpinned the controversy in three diverse geo-political contexts, the manner in which dominant institutional framings have been closely aligned with the interests of powerful elites, and the multiple ways in which these have been resisted through local, symbolic and material practices. Part 2 comprises a series of short comment pieces from 11 leading social and natural scientists responding to the question of how to develop a policy framework for the responsible innovation of sustainable, culturally appropriate and socially just agricultural GM technologies.

A genetically engineered plant, the indestructible Biollante, must fight Godzilla to save her creator and the land she loves.

"GMOs, or genetically modified organisms, are one of the hottest topics in food science and nutrition today. Are they unhealthy? Are they helpful? Readers explore this complex topic with the help of balanced text that allows them to see the facts behind this heated debate. Detailed sidebars and graphic organizers provide additional information about the science behind GMOs, and full-color photographs help readers make connections between the foods they see in the grocery store or at home and what they're learning about. In addition, critical-thinking questions guide readers to the formation of their own opinions"--

Since they were introduced to the market in the 1990s, GMOs (genetically modified organisms, including genetically modified crops), have been subject to a barrage of criticism. Agriculture has welcomed this new technology, but public opposition has been loud and scientific opinion mixed. In this book, the author examines the controversies over GMOs - health and safety concerns, environmental issues, the implications for world hunger, and the scientific consensus (or lack of one). He explores the viewpoints of a range of GMO skeptics, from public advocacy groups and nongovernmental organizations to scientists with differing views on risk and environmental impact. The author explains the differences between traditional plant breeding and "molecular breeding" through genetic engineering (GE); describes early GMO products, including the infamous Flavr Savr tomato; and discusses herbicide-, disease-, and insect-resistant GE plants. he considers the different American and European approaches

Are GMOs really that bad? An environmental journalist takes a fresh look at what they actually mean for our food system and for us. In the past two decades, GMOs have come to dominate the American diet. Advocates hail them as the future of food, an enhanced method of crop breeding that can help feed an ever-increasing global population and adapt to a rapidly changing environment. Critics, meanwhile, call for their banishment, insisting GMOs were designed by overeager scientists and greedy corporations to bolster an industrial food system that forces us to rely on cheap, unhealthy, processed food so they can turn an easy profit. In response, health-conscious brands such as Trader Joe's and Whole Foods have started boasting that they are "GMO-free," and companies like Monsanto have become villains in the eyes of average consumers. Where can we turn for the truth? Are GMOs an astounding scientific breakthrough destined to end world hunger? Or are they simply a way for giant companies to c

"Genetically Modified Crops: Their Development, Uses, and Risks examines cutting-edge methods for integrating foreign DNA into plant cells. This volume details the tools and techniques for gene transfer, and identifies the benefits, risks, and limitations of these methods in horticulture and agriculture. Complete with references, figures, and photographs, this book is a valuable manual for agronomists, plant and molecular geneticists, and students of agronomy, genetics, entomology, horticulture, and plant pathology."--Jacket.