Читать книгу Principles of Plant Genetics and Breeding - George Acquaah - Страница 81

 Plant Variety Protection ActEnacted in 1970 and amended in 1994, the Plant Variety Protection Act gave intellectual property rights to innovators who developed new crop varieties of sexually reproducing species and tuber‐propagated species. The commercial seed industry is thriving because companies can reap benefits from their investments in the often expensive cultivar development ventures.

 First commercial GM cropThe FlavrSavr tomato was the first commercially approved and grown GM cultivar for human consumption. It was developed in 1992 by the biotech company Calgene, using the antisense gene technology to downregulate the production of the enzyme polygalacturonase that degrades pectin in fruit cell walls, resulting in fruit softening. FlavrSavr tomato hence ripens slowly and stays fresher on the shelf for a longer time. In 1995, Bt corn, engineered to resist the European corn borer, was produced by Pioneer Hi bred company, while RR(Roundup ready) soybean, a Monsanto product, was introduced in 1996.