Question

List at least three different properties that have been acquired by crop plants via genetic engineering.

Short answer

Plants have acquired many different properties through genetic engineering. However, three properties are as follows:

• Herbicide resistance
• Salinity resistance
• Delayed ripening

Step-by-step solution

Herbicide resistance plants

Herbicide resistance plants are developed through genetic engineering that is resistant to herbicides. Bacterial genes are inserted into crops that make them herbicide-resistant.

When such plants are exposed to the herbicide, these plants survive, whereas the weeds and normal plants of the same species are killed. Thus, herbicide resistance plants impacts weed management and lead to less biodiversity loss.

Salinity resistance crop plants

Salinity resistance crop plants are developed through genetic engineering resistant to high salinity levels in the water. One such plant is developed by inserting a salinity resistance gene from a coastal mangrove plant into the rice genome.

The modified crop produced is resistant to salinity as it can grow in three times saltier water. Thus, salinity-resistant crop plant increases crop yield.

Delayed ripening in plants

Ethylene in plants causes fruit ripening in plants. Therefore, plants are developed with delayed fruit ripening. Bananas, melons, tomatoes are some of the plants that are used to create plants with delayed ripening traits.

Such plants have delayed fruit ripening due to inhibition of ethylene synthesis. As a result, the shelf-life of plants increases.