Question

NaCl is harmful to most crop plants. A scientist at the University of Toronto genetically modified plant so that it could be grown in dry parts of the world where the available water has a high level of NaCl. This genetically modified plant crop with the high levels of NaCl by transporting salt into its vacuoles where it accumulates to abnormally high levels. Which feature would be observed in the genetically modified plant when compared to a non-modified plant?

• A. The leaves will be modified in the plant and will be more yellow in colour.
• B. The modified plant has salt crystals on the surface of its leaves.
• C. The cytosol (the material between the plasma membrane and the vacuole membrane, excluding the organelles) in the modified plant has a lower osmotic pressure.
• D. The cytosol in the plant will be modified as plant has a higher osmotic pressure.
• E. The osmotic pressure will be the same in both plants.

Answer 1

The correct option is D The cytosol in the plant will be modified as plant has a higher osmotic pressure.

When the DNA of plant is modified by the use of genetic engineering is called as genetically modified plant/crop. In most cases, the traits introduced are not found in the naturally occurring plant species. So, to improve the quality of plants genetic modification is done. The genetically modified salt resistant crops have three main traits that involve salt tolerance- ion exclusion, tissue tolerance and osmotic tolerance. Thus, the correct answer is option D.