What are the ethical issues of plant cloning?

Question

Could someone please tell me what the ethical issues of plant cloning or tissue culture is? if possible a link to a website elsewell.

Thanks in advance

Also if you know any social and/or economical advantages for cloning crop plants in tissue culture please say

Answer 1

With plants, I think the issue is with altering the DNA of the plant and then growing a new creation. Plants have been cloned for centuries. Vineyards have been using cuttings and grafts to grow copies of the best performing vines. The ethical issue is, should we use genetics to alter the DNA and create a plant and bypass nature. There are some who believe that this will allow us to create new plants to better serve mankind. Such as pest resistant varieties or plants with better yields or plants that can grow in harsh environments. The other side of the spectrum believe that the genetic manipulation by DNA is not only bypassing nature but also bypassing the checks and balances of nature. The scientists could create a plant that passes mutation or new toxins to the environment or perhaps introduces something dangerous to our food supply. What if you made a plant that grew too well and was resistant to everything. It could be a ecological nightmare because it would be the ultimate invasive plant species, like a genetic super kudzu.

Answer 2

I do not think that the issue involved here are with cloning a plant using a limb or part of the plant. The comes up when they try and clone a plant using it's DNA. They whole issue with this is that if we can do this with plans how long will it be until we can clone people in this fashion. This style of cloning is not natural at all.

Answer 3

What ethical issues?

There are many plants that can only be propagated through tissue cultures. If you have ever grown an ivy from a cutting you have essentially cloned a plant.

Answer 4

Some plants can only reproduce through cloning now. Ginger has been propagated asexually for thousands of years and now its the only way for it to reproduce. Also, cloning is sometimes the only viable option to repopulate an endangered species. It's natural and ethical

Answer 5

There are no ethical considerations with plant or animal cloning, just human cloning.

Answer 6

I think there are none. plant genetic research can lead to very amazing developments against poverty and world hunger, researchers just have to make it safer, cheaper and more accessible.

Answer 7

hmmm......
search that in yahoo.com