Final answer:
Genetic engineering, a subdiscipline of genetics, is responsible for improving crop plant quality and yields, particularly through the creation of GMOs with traits like resistance to stresses, pests, and diseases.
Step-by-step explanation:
Genetic Engineering in Agriculture
The subdiscipline of genetics that has improved the quality of crop plants as well as crop yields is genetic engineering. By manipulating the DNA of plants to create Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), scientists have introduced traits like increased resistance of crops to environmental stresses, enhanced nutritional qualities, and improved pest and weed management.
These advances in biotechnology have resulted in high-impact applications in agriculture, such as creating transgenic crops with attributes for better shelf-life, herbicide resistance, and disease resistance. While some early promises of genetic engineering have not been fully realized, its role in improving agricultural productivity and food security continues to be significant, especially as we face challenges like climate change and population growth.