Plant domestication, the brave old world of genetic modification

The genetic improvement of crop plants via the newer techniques of biotechnology to produce “genetically modified” crops is a significant driver of progress in agriculture. However, progress has not been unimpeded: various controversies swirl around the benefits, uniqueness, supposed risks and other aspects of “GMOs”, or genetically modified organisms—which, as we explain, is a meaningless “category”—and the foods derived from them. In order to resolve the conundrums posed by those issues, it is important to understand the pedigree of genetic modification, which had its inceptionin the domestication of plants. In this chapter, we briefly introduce the crucial determinants of the “domestication syndrome” for cereals and legumes—that is, loss of seed shattering and reduced seed dormancy—and how it evolved through the ages into contemporary “genetic modification”. We argue that the application of genetic engineering to crops within a few years brought a wave of improved domestication traits. Moreover, contrary to most of the early domestication traits, some of these novel traits are advantageous to the crop and not just to humans. The other chapters in this volume discuss current developments in technology, the promise of modern molecular genetic engineering, and the legal and regulatory landscape.