Question

How would a scientist introduce a gene for herbicide resistance into a plant?

a) By exposing the plant to high levels of herbicide.
b) By silencing the gene responsible for herbicide susceptibility.
c) By using a viral vector to deliver the resistant gene into the plant's genome.
d) By altering the plant's environmental conditions.

Answer 1

To introduce herbicide resistance, scientists use genetic engineering, particularly with Agrobacterium tumefaciens as a vector, to transfer the resistant gene directly into the plant's genome.

Step-by-step explanation:

A scientist would introduce a gene for herbicide resistance into a plant most effectively by c) using a viral vector to deliver the resistant gene into the plant's genome. This method involves genetic engineering, a process by which specific genes are introduced into a plant to give it desirable characteristics such as herbicide resistance. One common method uses the bacteria Agrobacterium tumefaciens, which contains plasmids that can be engineered to carry the desired gene into the plant DNA. This technique allows scientists to create genetically modified organisms (GMOs), such as 'Roundup ready' soybeans resistant to certain herbicides without affecting other characteristics of the plant.