Plant parents Activity

Plant parents Activity Card Uncle Astro has a broccoflower in the fridge - it’s a mix between broccoli and cauliflower! Uncle Astro “It is a GMO - a genetically modified organism.” Stella Cosmic “GMO foods come from plants that have had some genes edited to change the traits of the plant. Normally farmers use selective breeding to make fruits and vegetables that are bigger, tastier, or more resilient against pests. Sometimes scientists use gene editing to make the crops better adapted for droughts or flood prone areas or resilient against pests. Selective breeding takes longer, but genetic modification is much more difficult.” “Wow, think of all the different foods you could make!” Your challenge What ‘new’ crop would you make? Could you make it through selective breeding or would it need to be genetically modified? What would the benefits of your new crop be? Consider improving taste, appearance or health benefits. Discuss What traits would your ‘new’ crop have from the plants it was made from? What do you think the positives and negatives are of genetically modifying plants? Can you think of concerns that people might have? How could changing a plants’ genes help people around the world?

Getting started Think about some crops you would like to combine. Do research about the plants they grow on. What traits would you take from each plant? What will you call your new crop? Test your ideas Are your two plants similar enough to use selective breeding? Or would you need to use genetic modification? Share your ideas Design a poster to encourage people to buy your new crop. British Science Association Registered Charity No. 212479 and SC039236