Researched
Genetically modified crops
Crops with inserted genes for insect resistance or herbicide tolerance were first sold in 1994-1996 and now cover more than a tenth of the world's cropland.
Open in the interactive tree →The Flavr Savr tomato was approved in the US in 1994, and Bt and herbicide-tolerant maize, soybean, cotton and canola spread from 1996. By 2019 GM crops covered about 190 million hectares (ISAAA), roughly 12-13% of cropland. A 2014 meta-analysis found pesticide use down 37% and yields up 22%, while regulation and public acceptance stayed contested, especially in Europe.
Prerequisites
- Genetics and plant breeding1866
- Synthetic pesticides1939Herbicide-tolerant and Bt crops were designed around crop chemicals
- Genetic engineering1973