Genetically-modified organisms (GMOs) have included corn crops engineered to produce a natural pesticide to kill a certain insec
t which would normally destroy the corn. The benefits include a larger corn crop, because the destructive influence of the insects is lowered. What might be one negative result of growing this specific GMO? A. The natural pesticide could get into the soil and kill the next corn crop. B. The genetically-modified corn would require more water to produce enough pesticide to fend off the insects. C. The insects could grow resistant to the pesticide in the genetically-modified corn and become immune to regular pesticides. D. All of the insects could disappear, allowing the corn crop to grow too large.
The correct answer is option C, that is, the insects could grow resistant to the pesticide in the genetically-modified corn and become immune to regular pesticides.
The genetically modified organisms are usually developed to be more resistant to pesticides or produce pesticides themselves. The GM crops do not have monarch butterflies or honeybees. However, the insects that consume genetically modified crops can, in some of the circumstances, begins to establish a resistance to the protein that usually kills them.
