Exam 10: Agriculture, Biotechnology, and the Future of Food

Which of the following requires the least land to produce 1 kg of protein?

Aquaculture ____________

Can protect crops from insect pest- related losses when applied periodically

Source of generic plasmids for genetically modified organisms

Presently, ____________ have not supported the widespread marketing of GM crops.

Managing crop competitors and pests has been challenging to agronomists for centuries. One approach, integrated pest management, ____________

Oaxaca, Mexico ____________.

Raising which of the following requires the most land and water per kg protein produced?

Read the following scenario and answer the question below. Despite the high cost of the technology to design genetically modified (GM)crops, American companies have invested in their development. The first genetically engineered crop was the Flavr Savr tomato, which was created by reversing the function of a normal tomato gene. It was approved by the FDA for sale in the United States in 1994. Its grower, the Calgene Corporation, maintained that it would ripen longer on the vine, taste and ship better, and last longer on supermarket shelves compared to conventional tomatoes. It is no longer marketed because of technical problems and public safety concerns. Today, most engineered crops are modified for insect and herbicide resistance. In 1997, Monsanto Company first marketed GM corn. This Bt corn was engineered using genes from the Bacillus thuringiensis bacteria that made the corn resistant to some pests. In 1999, environmentalists were alarmed when it was reported that pollen from Bt corn could kill monarch butterfly larvae if corn pollen drifted onto milkweed plants that monarchs fed upon. Consumers feared the unknown and were concerned about potential food allergies. Presently, corn, along with soybeans, cotton, and canola dominate the GM food market. These crops are grown and distributed mostly in the United States, Argentina, Canada, Brazil, and China. They are used mostly for animal feed, clothing, or to make oil or other ingredients for processed food, which has helped them gain public acceptance. Although GM crops such as strawberries, potatoes, and lettuce have all been marketed in the United States, GM food field trials involving biotech fruits and vegetables have dropped significantly during the past several years, and the pace of new product introductions has fallen sharply. This narrow range of crops could mean that biotechnology may not realize its full potential in the future. -The Flavr Savr tomato is no longer marketed because ____________.