Henry Ford Community College, Biology, Dearborn, MI 48128
Growing crops with altered genetic structure is one of the most controversial issues among biologists and farmers alike, and has raised much public concern regarding the possible health effects and consequences of genetically modified (GM) food. Roundup Ready soybeans are modified to resist the chemical compound glyphosate, which inhibits amino acid metabolism and is the active ingredient in the chemical herbicide “Roundup.” The goal of the experiment was to determine if the modifications that give genetically modified (GM) soybeans resistance to glyphosate alter their resistance to saline and acidic conditions, which simulate road salt runoff and acid rain. Using solutions with various concentrations of salt and sulfuric acid, GM and non-GM soybeans were germinated and their growth was compared in terms of height, number of leaves, and total leaf surface area per plant, over a span of one week and two week periods. The data collected yielded evidence that genetically modified soybeans were equally resistant to acidic conditions and less resistant to salt conditions than non-genetically modified soybeans. Although the results are preliminary, they provide a base for further GM crop-related research.
[Abstract (DOC)]