Quarter 3
Conventional Agriculture and
Genetic Engineering
EXPECTATION
After going through this module, you are expected to:
1. differentiate conventional agriculture and genetic engineering
2. appreciate conventional agriculture and genetic engineering in improving the
lives of the people
PRETEST
Directions:
Write TRUE if the statement is correct and FALSE if the statement is incorrect.
________1. The main purpose of conventional agriculture is to increase the
production of yielded crops.
________2. The use of synthetic chemicals is one of the practice of farmers that
utilizes GM crops.
________3. The rampant usage of synthetic chemicals increases the soil, water,
and even air pollutions.
________4. Hybridization highlights the positive traits of plants like high yields,
tolerance to drought etc.
________5. Conventional agriculture maintains the rich biodiversity of the
environment.
LESSON
The main concern of scientist is to produce the optimal nutrition for human health
and development. To seek solution for the growing needs of our planet for food and
nutrition. However, adverse environmental conditions, such as drought, flooding,
extreme heat and so on, affect crop yields more than pests and diseases. Thus, a
major goal of scientists is to find ways to maintain high productivity under stress as
well as developing crops with enhanced nutritional value. Geneticallymodified (GM)
crops can prove to be powerful complements to those produced by conventional
methods for meeting the worldwide demand for quality foods. Crops developed by
genetic engineering can not only be used to enhance yields and nutritional quality
but also for increased tolerance to various biotic and abiotic stresses. Given all the
advantages in using the GMO in the field of agriculture, we still cannot disregard the
contribution of conventional practices in the field of agriculture. For the past
decades, people develop their skills to make crops with the desired characteristics
using conventional methods and became successful in this endeavor.
To provide balance representations of this topic this module will show you the
different conventional methods and practices in the field of agriculture and the recent
development in agriculture using recombinant DNA technology.

Conventional agriculture vs Genetic Engineering
 For the past years, the main
purpose
of
Conventional agriculture is
to optimized the production of
yielded crops. Which is therefore
attained through
the
practice
of
synthetic chemicals. Synthetic
chemicals
are
made by
humans, resorting to other
known methods aside from the
natural way
of
its
composition and usage, but is
naturally derived from it.Conventional agriculture, in terms of achieving a
certain crop’s desired characteristics, trait, and
physical appearance, can easily be classified as a
Conventional type if any synthetic chemicals are
evident and its use is more frequent, compared
to how crops are normally raised using the
normal way of yielding, an example of synthetic
chemicals used in crops are pesticides, fungicides,
herbicides and a lot more. Which resulted to soil,
water, and even air pollutions because of the
rampant usage of this synthetic chemicals.
 Conventional breeding is entirely
perceived through the use of plants
crossing together, which is mainly
compromised with the needed or the
wanted characteristics, the selection of
the offspring is built up from the
combination of certain traits and
properties, giving leeway, for a
particular. We can refer to this as
hybridization process. This process
highlights the positive traits of plants
like high yields, tolerance to drought
etc..
 Despite the stated benefits
Conventional
agriculture
possesses, this method neglects
the idea of having or
maintaining the rich biodiversity
plants and soil possess, soil
fertility
and
health
are
deteriorating since the goal of
this method is to improve
farming capabilities but lays a
huge
threat
on
the
environment.
 With
the
ever-growing
advancements in the field of
Genetic
engineering,
innovations
on
numerous
accounts with regards to the
practical and theoretical aspects
of gene
function or formation and organization, have been continuously adding up
beneficially. Through the use of recombinant DNA techniques, bacteria that possess
the capability of synthesizing human Insulin is one example of the progress shown by
Genetic engineering over the times, human growth hormones, the creation of a
hepatitis B vaccine, the use of alpha interferon, and other medical applications.

Plants can be genetically
changed to enable them in fixing
nitrogen, moreover,
genetic
diseases
and ailments can be
corrected, replacing dysfunctional
genes with normal disease-free
genes. On the other hand, concerns
have been building up for fear that
they might result in the introduction
and manifestation of adverse and
most likely dangerous traits
into
organisms
that
were
previously free with the condition, the
mass production of toxins, or in some
parts, the likeliness to cause a disease which might furthermore enhance it
negatively and having the resistance to anti-biotics.
 It has made the lives of many at ease with the continuing progression of Genetic
engineering, despite its countable drawbacks, it has still proven its worth and the
high usage rate it encompasses.

ACTIVITIES
ACTIVITY 1. Directions: Compare and Contrast Conventional Agriculture and Use
of Genetic engineering in the field of Agriculture.
Activity 2:
Directions: Complete the following sentences.
My chosen word is: ______________________________________________________________
(choose from Conventional Agriculture or Genetic Engineering)
I know that I know
__________________________________________________________________________________
First, I know
__________________________________________________________________________________
In addition, I know
__________________________________________________________________________________
Now you know something that I know
__________________________________________________________________________________
V
ALUING
Activity 3. What do you think!
Directions: In a minimum of 5 sentences, explain the quotes below.
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
POST TEST
Direction: Read each question carefully and choose the letter of the best answer.
A. Hybridization
B. Conventional Agriculture C. Synthetic chemicals
D. GMO
E. Genetic engineering
_________1. It is the product of recombinant DNA technology that are grown in
agricultural fields
_________2. It is the field of study that includes genetic manipulation of different
species of organism.
_________3. It includes pesticides and fertilizers that are widely use in conventional
agriculture.
_________4. It is a combination of genes inherited from two parents and highlights all
the good characteristics of the organism.
_________5. It’s main purpose is to optimized the production of yielded crops.