List of crops that genetically modified
Corn Soybeans Cotton Canola
Potatoes Apples Carrots
Corn used to be a small frail grass that was barely edible and quite dry like a raw potato. Now corn plants make huge amounts of corn that are big and juicy with lots of good kernels on it. Corn has probably been the most changed of any crop.
Carrots used to be very small with forked out roots. They also used to be purple and even white but scientists have changed them to be quite large with little forking of the roots.
Apples that you know will brown when you cut them and leave them out for a while. In about 15 minutes, the white part inside will be brownish colored. Scientists have found a way to make apples not brown. They're calling it the artic apple. They might actually be going on sales in the U.S.
Potatoes haven't really been changed that much like corn has. They have been changed to resist different types of diseases and pathogens. Like blight which caused the Irish potato famine.
Soybeans haven't changed a whole lot, just like potatoes, they have been genetically modified to withstand different diseases and herbicides. Herbicides are meant to get rid of weeds in the same field that soybeans are in.
Cotton has been genetically modified by adding BT proteins which help with getting rid of bugs so they don't eat it. Another additive is glyphosate. Glyphosate is a herbicide that gets rid of weeds. Now cotton is resistant toward it so it does not die or get harmed by this herbicide.
Canola is very important because of its oil that we get from it. You've probably heard of canola oil and you most likely have some in your house to use in different cooking recipes. If this crop was not genetically modified the weeds would take over and herbicides would kill this crop when they are meant to kill the weeds. Canola has been genetically modified just like cotton to resist glyphosate.
