Some farmers in Brazil are considering growing transgenic (Bt) soybeans instead of conventional non-GM soybeans. Growing transgenic soybeans allows them to spend less on chemical pest control, but the seeds themselves are more expensive and require a technology fee.
The table below shows the estimated costs (in Brazilian Real, BRL, per hectare) for growing conventional versus transgenic soybeans:
| Type of expense | Conventional soybeans (BRL per hectare) | Transgenic (Bt) soybeans (BRL per hectare) |
|---|---|---|
| Seed cost | 180 | 250 |
| Insecticide spray costs | 290 | 110 |
| Biosecurity / tech fee | 0 | 45 |
Use data from the table to suggest why the farmers want to start growing transgenic soybeans.
The transgenic soybeans have been genetically modified. Which type of molecule is transferred into the plant cells to genetically modify them? Choose from: lipid, DNA, carbohydrate, enzyme.
Some consumers are concerned about buying food products made from GM crops, such as soy protein or soybean oil. Suggest two reasons why some people may oppose the purchase or use of products made from GM crops.
25 exam-style questions on OCR GCSE Biology 6.2 Feeding the human race, covering 6.2.1 Biological factors affecting food security, 6.2.2 Agricultural solutions to growing demand, 6.2.3 Selective breeding, 6.2.4 Genetic engineering, 6.2.5 Steps in genetic engineering, 6.2.6 Benefits and risks of gene technology in agriculture, and 6.2.7 Biotechnological solutions to growing demand. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.