But, more significantly, the genetically modified varieties tended to do worse than those produced by traditional methods of plant breeding.

ECONOMIST: GM crop plants are less weed-like than weedy

The head of the Institute's Genetics and Plant Breeding department, Jawahar Ram Sharma, said his team had genetically converted the poppy seed, which has naturally occurring narcotic properties, into a new, non-narcotic variety.

BBC: Addictive-free poppy seed developed

In traditional plant breeding, some inbred maize plants destined to be crossed with others have their male, pollen-producing tassels cut off to prevent self-fertilisation (maize is a horticultural hermaphrodite, carrying both male and female sex organs).

ECONOMIST: Terminator genes

Louis agrigiant, has 100 researchers and support staff here running a plant-breeding lab.

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Those in favour of plant modification often argue that the new techniques are really no different from traditional plant-breeding.

ECONOMIST: In defence of the demon seed

But it is odd, at first sight, that genetic modification in a laboratory should weaken a plant any more than traditional breeding methods do.

ECONOMIST: Genetically modified weaklings | The

"If I know which tastants are really relevant for the final product, I can start breeding studies to increase or decrease certain tastants in the plant or the fruit, " he told BBC News.

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