Genetically Modified Sugar Beets
By:Brooke Fife
Purposes in modifying Sugar Beets
- To help with weed control by making them resistant to herbicides,which is also more environmentally/economically friendly
- To make them resistant to viruses,fungi,pests,and pathogens
- To become more adaptive to their environment
Uses
- In the food industry, sugar beets are one of the main sources of many kinds of sugar. It can also be found in artificial honey,caramel/caramel flavoring,molasses, and syrup.
- Other uses for genetically modified sugar beets include animal feed, renewable energy, and material for chemical/cosmetic industries.
How it is genetically modified
- Sugar beets are genetically modified to have a higher sugar content.
Concerns over Genetically Modified Sugar Beets
- Seed Companies might no longer use normal seeds and instead only use GM seeds
- Unable to tell if it is genetically modified or not
- Traits of GM sugar beets could spread to other crops,which could cause the other crops harm
- They have the potential to cause unknown health problems