Farmers have been using crossbreeding for almost 10,000 years to grow fruits, vegetables and crops that are heartier and tastier. The process itself is slow and painstaking. Witness the long evolution that transformed the tiny teosinte corn plant into today's modern ear of corn.
Technology is now dramatically changing that timeline.
Agriculture giant Monsanto is spending significant money and resources to create 'new' all-natural vegetables and fruits through crossbreeding techniques. Cue the BellaFina bell pepper, the Beneforte broccoli and the Melorange melon. Most are already available at a supermarket near you. The company – best known as the creator of herbicide Roundup and as a major player in GMOs – has created a seed chipper technology that has nothing to do with genetic modification at all.
Produced by Justin Maiman, Will Wei and Graham Flanagan. Edited by Sam Rega.
