GMO PowerPoint

By Sharlah Reynolds
Vocabulary
Vocabulary
 Lets Explore!
1. Get with a partner and travel to the different centers of the
room.
2. Using your notebooks: Write down what product is at that
particular center. Then list the differences between the O
product and G product by visualization, touching and tasting
(when applicable).
Example: Banana

O G
Yellow Brownish
Firm Bruised
Sweet Not as sweet
 Discussion
On the board, list the observations
made about the products at each
center.
How are they the same?
How are they different?
Explain the concept of Organic and
Genetically Modified foods through the
following slides.
 Corn
For 8,000 years, corn has been a
staple in the diet of livestock and
humans alike.
 The problem
A number of pests plant their larvae into the corn stalk.
The larvae hatch and becomes caterpillars. Caterpillars
then eat the corn as they grow and mature.

2012 Nature Education a, c, d photos courtesy of Marlin Rice, b photo courtesy of Gary Munkvold. All rights reserved.
 The Million Dollar Bug
The European corn borer (Ostrinia
nubilalis) was named the million dollar bug
because it cost growers over a billion dollars
annually in insecticides and lost crop yields.
Scientist inspecting maize roots from (a) non-Bt maize hybrid and
(b) Bt maize hybrid
(c)rootworm larva (white arrow) feeding on maize root
(d)adult western corn rootworm.

2012 Nature Education Photos (a), (d) courtesy of Marlin Rice; Photo (b) courtesy of
John Tollefson. All rights reserved.
 What is Bt corn?
Bt-corn is a type of (GMO) genetically
modified organism.

Bt stands for the term- Bacillus thuringiensis.

Bacillus thuringiensis is a species of bacteria

that produces proteins that are toxic to certain
insects. This bacteria is found in soil naturally.
Corn can be genetically engineered
to produce these specific toxins.

Bt corn has resistance traits, which at

high levels, reduce the damage from
those pesky insects!
 Corn

Almost 85% of corn grown in the U.S.

is genetically modified.
What other Foods are GM?
Yellow Crookneck Squash and
Zucchini

Genetically modified to
protect against viruses

GM squash with virus resistance

(top) protects the squash from the

damaging effects of the virus

(bottom).
 Cotton
Cotton was infested with bollworm
infestation. Bt cotton deflects insects much
like Bt corn.
 Papayas
The ringspot virus and fungus rot were a
huge problem for the Hawaiian papaya
industry.
Genetically modified papayas show
resistance to the virus and fungus.
 Soy
Soy is modified for
a variety of
purposes.

Most common
modifications are
resistance to
insects and fungus
AND
enriching its
vitamins, fat and/or
protein content.
 Milk
Milk contains rBGH (recombinant bovine growth
hormone). The hormone injected from bacteria
allows higher milk yields by keeping milk-producing
cells alive in cows for longer than normal.
 Golden Rice
Golden rice is
genetically
modified to
increase levels of
pro-vitamin A,
vitamin E, iron,
zinc, and to
enhance protein.
 Tomatoes
The tomato was the very first widespread
genetically modified food available in the United
States. The tomato was bred with a gene that
keeps the plant from producing
polygalacturonase, an enzyme that's the starting
point for rotting.
 GMO

Is it good? Is it bad?