Seeds for the Future

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Plants have long been genetically modified through crossbreeding and other basic agricultural techniques to make crops more resilient, nutritious, and profitable. In recent decades, however, advances in genetic engineering-including the ability to blend genetic material from animals with that of plants-have allowed farmers to grow crops that resist insect pests, weeds viruses, and drought; provide increased iron or beta carotene; deliver vaccines and antibodies; reduce common allergens and pollutants; and augment marketable qualities such as delayed ripening.