Surely sometime in your life you have heard talk or name about transgenic seeds. However, you probably do not know well what they are, how they work, what they are for or how they are created.
In this post we are going to talk about transgenic seeds to have some basic ideas and know what we are dealing with.
Transgenic seeds
As we know, a seed is the component of the plant that houses the embryo and that serves to reproduce the plant and extend its population. Once the seed becomes transgenic, it means that it is a seed that has been modified after the incorporation of genes that are external to them and that are not their own by nature.
These seeds have been altered by scientists to introduce new genes that are not their own. This is done to be able to insert or confer new properties or qualities to the organism for greater efficiency in plantations. For example, they can confer genes to make it more resistant to certain pests or drought. In this way, they can be reproduced and spread more easily, it will improve production costs (especially in agriculture) and increase the profits obtained.
The business of transgenic seeds has become a millionaire business worldwide for the aforementioned. By conferring new qualities to plants and making them more resistant to herbicides, pests, extreme temperatures, etc. They can help alleviate hunger in the world, since food grows more easily and is more resistant to external agents and diseases. What's more, They contribute to the environment since, by resisting various diseases, the use of agrochemicals is not necessary.
But not everyone agrees with GM seeds. There are people who affirm that it is more efficient to promote local production in developing countries by taking advantage of indigenous resources, since it would avoid the dependency of a third party for the acquisition of the seeds and would increase the benefits at the local level. They also claim that foods derived from transgenic seeds could cause various health problems, while crops would upset the ecological balance.
Now that you know more about transgenic seeds, what do you think about it?