TPO-21 - Integrated Writing Task Genetic modification, a process used to change an organism’s genes and hence its characteristics, is now being used to improve trees through genetic modification. It is possible to create trees that produce more fruit, g

The article states that through genetic modification of trees, it is possible to gain some benefits like creating trees that produce more fruit, grow faster and withstand hard condition, and provide support for that; however the lecturer thinks that these trees provide some benefits, but with examining them, there are some serious problems. She refuses each reason of the article.

First, the article writes that genetically modified trees can survive more and resist more than their unmodified counterparts, for example papaya tree in Hawaii has put an end to ringspot virus problem. The speaker says that these modified trees just resist in one special situation that they are designed for, but regular trees are designed for worse condition to survive. Beside that there are a lot of diversity in unmodified trees, which means if one condition remove a specific type of a tree and other trees can withstand this condition, other trees would survive, but in genetically modified trees all of them would die in a bad condition that they are not designed for.

Second, the passage says that these new trees can have benefits like growing faster and giving greater yields of fruit which make farming investments better. Though the speaker states that farmers have to pay a much higher price for seeds of these trees and they can't use seeds from produced fruits without paying an extra fee every time.

Third, the article writes that modified trees can provide enough wood for firewood and building timber without letting traditional trees being cut down. However, the lecturer says that these trees grow very fast and may threaten the natural trees and compete with them on resources like foods, nutrients, and water.