Detection of Genetic Modification in Crops by Polymerase Chain Reaction

Abstract

Human beings have a long history of changing crops’ characteristics by selective and crossbreeding. However, with the advancement in science and technology, genetic modification in crops is possible to add cross specie characteristics like pest/herbicide resistance, increased yield, etc. Although there are several benefits of genetically modified (GM) crops, genetically modified crops have not gained universal acceptance due to cross specie genes. Therefore, it is mandatory to check the genotype of a crop before import or export and to declare if it is genetically modified or not. This can be done by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), a gold standard for this testing.