Genetic Engineering: Agriculture for the 21st Century

For as long as man has been cultivating crops and raising animals, there have been modifications of the genomes of these plants and animals. The progress made in current genetic technology allows for modifying the genome very precisely, one gene at a time. Research has made possible targeted changes in varieties of plants that have enabled man to increase both yields and the quality of these crops. Crops developed through genetic engineering are commonly known as transgenic crops or genetically modified (GM) crops. This review will detail benefits of genetic modifications in crop production, and describe additional concepts in crop biotechnology that will make more direct contributions to food quality, environmental benefits, pharmaceutical production, and non-food crops.