Gardening Etcetera: Out-crossing achieved by wind, insect and plunger pollination -- say what?

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GARDENING ETCETERA

Gardening Etcetera: Out-crossing achieved by wind, insect and plunger pollination -- say what?

CINDY MURRAY Special to the Daily Sun
Apr 3, 2025
Apr 3, 2025

I believe most of us have a sense of what genetic engineering is all about �� a method of inserting one or more genes of one species or individual into the chromosomes of another to gain a desired trait or traits. For example, The International Rice Research Institute is developing a genetically engineered “golden rice�� containing a significant amount of beta carotene to stave off vitamin A-deficient blindness of people in developing nations.

But did you know that people have been manipulating plant genes for thousands of years? In point of fact, many of our modern crops are the result of early farmers and plant breeders crossbreeding plants for the purpose of creating the few near-perfect plants that bear the combined desired traits of them all. Modern-day corn is the result of 9,000 years of selective breeding of corn’s forebearer, teosinte, a wild grass native to Mexico and Central America.

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This column was edited by Lisa Miller.

Gardening questions can be sent to [email protected] or submitted to the Master Gardener Hotline: 928-773-6115.

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