Final answer:
BT Corn and herbicide-resistant Soybeans are two GMOs that have been modified to resist pests and tolerate herbicides, respectively, to increase crop yields and reduce the need for chemicals.
Step-by-step explanation:
Two examples of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and how they were altered from their original form are:
- BT Corn: This type of corn has been genetically engineered to produce a protein from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis, which is toxic to certain insect pests. This modification has been made to reduce the need for chemical pesticides.
- Herbicide-resistant Soybeans: These soybeans have been modified to withstand the application of specific herbicides, e.g., glyphosate, allowing farmers to spray these herbicides to control weeds without harming the crop.
The primary reasons for these changes are to increase crop yields, decrease losses from pests and diseases, reduce dependence on chemical pesticides, and improve the efficiency of agricultural production.1