Genetically modified soybean facts for kids

A genetically modified soybean is a type of soybean (Glycine max) that has had its DNA changed using special science methods called genetic engineering. This means scientists add or change tiny bits of its genetic code to give it new features.

The first genetically modified soybean was introduced in the U.S. in 1996 by a company called Monsanto. These special soybeans quickly became very popular. By 2014, about 82% of all soybeans grown worldwide were genetically modified! That's a huge amount, covering 90.7 million hectares (which is like 224 million acres) of farmland.

Why Modify Soybeans?

Soybeans are used in many ways, so there's always a high demand for them. At first, scientists wanted to modify soybeans to help farmers grow more crops for less money. They also wanted to fix problems that could happen during farming, like weeds or pests.

Later, scientists found they could make soybeans even better. They could change them to have healthier parts or to produce more of a specific useful ingredient. These changes led to what scientists call "first generation" and "second generation" GM foods.

• First generation GM foods mostly helped farmers and companies. They made it easier and cheaper to grow crops.
• Second generation GM foods offer benefits directly to you, the consumer! This includes things like improved nutrition (making them healthier to eat) or even special health benefits.

Roundup Ready Soybeans

Roundup Ready soybeans are a famous type of genetically engineered soybean made by Monsanto. Their special feature is that they can survive a weed killer called glyphosate.

How does this work? Glyphosate kills most plants by stopping them from making certain important building blocks called amino acids. Animals, like humans, get these amino acids from eating plants, but plants and tiny living things (like bacteria) make their own using a special tool called an enzyme (called EPSPS).

Roundup Ready soybeans have a new version of this EPSPS enzyme. This new enzyme comes from a type of bacteria. It allows the soybean plant to keep making its important amino acids even when glyphosate is sprayed on it. This means farmers can spray glyphosate to kill weeds without harming their soybean crops.

History of Roundup Ready Soybeans

The first Roundup Ready soybean was approved for use in the United States in 1994. After that, it was introduced to many other countries:

• Canada in 1995
• Japan and Argentina in 1996
• Uruguay in 1997
• Mexico and Brazil in 1998
• South Africa in 2001

The United Nations also approved GMO soybeans in 1999. More recently, in 2022, China approved a new type of drought-tolerant soybean called HB4.

Generic GMO Soybeans

After Monsanto's special permission (patent) for the first Roundup Ready soybeans ended in 2015, other scientists started making their own versions. The University of Arkansas developed one of the first "generic" glyphosate-resistant soybeans.

These generic soybeans cost less for farmers to buy. Farmers can even save some of the seeds from their harvest to plant the next year, which saves them even more money.

HB4 Soybean

HB4 soybean, also known as IND-ØØ41Ø-5 soybean, is another type of genetically engineered soybean. This one was created to handle tough conditions like drought (when there isn't enough water) or very salty soil.

Because HB4 soybeans can grow well even when it's dry, they can produce more crops than regular soybeans in those conditions. HB4 soybeans have been approved in several countries:

• Argentina (2015)
• Brazil (2019)
• United States (2019)
• Paraguay (2019)
• Canada (2021)
• People's Republic of China (2022)

Soybeans with Stacked Traits

Some genetically modified soybeans have "stacked traits." This means they have more than one special feature added to them. For example, Monsanto developed a soybean that can resist glyphosate (like Roundup Ready) AND also produce a protein that helps protect it from certain insects. This protein comes from a bacteria called Bacillus thuringiensis.

Improving Soybean Oil

Scientists have also modified soybeans to make their oil better. Regular soybean oil can go bad (become rancid) quickly because of its fatty acid makeup. This limits how much it can be used in food.

By changing the soybean's genes, scientists can make the oil last longer and be more useful. They do this by increasing the amount of certain healthy fats, like oleic acid and stearic acid, and decreasing others. For example, a company called DuPont Pioneer created a soybean that produces oil with over 80% oleic acid, and they started selling it in 2010.

Regulation of GM Soybeans

Governments around the world have rules about genetically modified crops. These rules help make sure that GM crops are safe to grow and safe to eat. The way GM crops are regulated can be different from one country to another. For example, the rules in the U.S. are different from those in Europe.

In the U.S., groups like the American Soybean Association generally support allowing new types of GM soybeans. They believe that genetic engineering should have its own set of rules, separate from other farming methods.

Sometimes, a country might allow GM soybeans for a while and then change its mind. For example, Romania allowed GM soybeans for farming, but then banned them when it joined the European Union in 2007. This caused problems for farmers and led to Romania having to buy a lot of soybeans from other countries.

See also

In Spanish: Soya transgénica para niños