GMO stands for “genetically modified organism.” Transgenic is a more widely accepted terminology. Both terms refer to the discipline of biotechnology. Biotechnology is the application of a wide range of scientific techniques to the modification and improvement of plants, animals, and microorganisms that are of economic importance. The practical application of transgenics in corn production involves the insertion of DNA into corn from more distantly related organisms to express a particular “trait” in the corn. A transgenic is the resultant offspring from such a recombinant DNA transfer. Bt, or Bacillus thuringiensis, refers to a gene from a soil bacterium that codes for a protein that disrupts the gut function of Lepidoptera species of insect such as the European corn borer. The two major categories of transgenic corn traits commercially available in 2007 are insect resistance (Bt-corn borer and Bt-rootworm) and herbicide tolerance (glyphosate or glufosinate).
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What is “GMO.” “Bt,” or “transgenic” corn?
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