near future. Beneficial crop modification through agronomical trait selectionTransgenic organisms can be designed to minimize the chance of environmental risks. The agronomic traits that farmers select for crops improve the control of pest insects, plant pathogens, weeds, and water. The main toxin used for insect pest control is a gene from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). By inserting the Bt virus, crops have an internal resistance to insects and pests, which allows the farmer to decrease insecticide sprays. Agrochemicals serve as a good protection against insects, but are not as ecologically sound as gene transformation since outside plants and trees can be accidentally sprayed (Horsch 1993). Although seed price will increase, the total cost of seeds and agrochemicals will decrease, helping the farmer gain profit. Today, several crop plants and trees have been inserted with the bacterium strain and show effective resistance against pests such as caterpillars and beetles. In addition, engineered Bt has been approved for use as a conventional insecticide (Nottingham 1996). Plant pathogen control can also help reduce costs for the farmer. In 1998, K1026 from Agrobacterium radioloacter was introduced as a genetically engineered bacterial strain to help control crown gall disease in pitted fruit trees (Paoletti & Pimentel 1996). The disease control proved highly effective, leaving farmers with a more abundant crop of fruit and a higher financial intake. Modifications of fungi are also beginning to arise as an excellent plant pathogen control. Metarhyzium anisopliae is used to protect plants against the benomyl fungicide. Pathogenic fungi are another promising goal because high yields of fungicides will not reduce the effectiveness of the entomophagus fungus. Today, 75% to 100% of agricultural crops contain some degree of host plant resistance (Paoletti & Pimentel 1996). The herbicide resistance gene is derived fr...
