5.15 Evaluate the potential for using genetically modified plants to improve food production (illustrated by plants with improved resistance to pests)

·         Maize- damage by larvae Europe corkborer: 28% less of crop yield.

·         Bacterial gene when switch on is bacterial toxin known to kill the corkborer larvae.

·         Restriction enzyme to the bacterial gene and chop the gene out for the toxin.

·         This has to be transferred to the cell of the maize plant. The ‘gene gun’ involves taking tiny particle of gold to fire out the plant cell.

·         The plant cell gets the gene when switch on is toxin and kill the larvae which gives the maize resistance to corkborer.