genetics
Gregor Mendel’s Genetic Laws
1866
Austrian monk Gregor Mendel publishes foundational work on inheritance patterns in pea plants
agriculture
Hybrid Corn Development
1920s
Introduction of hybrid corn varieties utilizing heterosis to improve yield and resilience
leading to the development of new crop varieties
Radiation-Induced Mutagenesis
1940s
Use of radiation to induce mutations in plants
biotechnology
Recombinant DNA Technology
1973
Herbert Boyer and Stanley Cohen develop techniques to combine DNA from different species
biotechnology
First Genetically Engineered Plant
1983
Scientists develop a genetically modified tobacco plant using Agrobacterium-mediated transformation
biotechnology
Flavr Savr Tomato Approved
1994
Calgene's Flavr Savr tomato becomes the first genetically engineered food approved for sale
engineered to produce a toxin lethal to specific insect pests
Bt Cotton Commercialized
1996
Introduction of Bt cotton
a genetically modified rice variety enriched with provitamin A
Golden Rice Development
2000
Scientists develop Golden Rice
a precise gene-editing tool
CRISPR-Cas9 Gene Editing
2012
Jennifer Doudna and Emmanuelle Charpentier develop CRISPR-Cas9
a tomato with increased GABA content
First CRISPR-Edited Crop Approved
2015
Japan approves the first CRISPR-edited crop
agriculture
Gene-Edited Crops Commercialized
2020s
Several countries approve and commercialize gene-edited crops with enhanced traits
agriculture
Selective Breeding Practices
4000 BCE
Early civilizations practice selective breeding of plants and animals to enhance desirable traits
laying the foundation for agriculture
Early Crop Domestication
8000–6000 BCE
Humans begin cultivating plants and domesticating animals
1866
1920s
1940s
1973
1983
1994
1996
2000
2012
2015
2020s
4000 BCE
8000–6000 BCE
Agricultural Biotechnology Progress Timeline
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Early Crop Domestication, 8000–6000 BCE, Ancient
Humans begin cultivating plants and domesticating animals, laying the foundation for agriculture
-
Selective Breeding Practices, 4000 BCE, Ancient
Early civilizations practice selective breeding to enhance desirable traits in plants and animals
-
Gregor Mendel’s Genetic Laws, 1866, CE
Gregor Mendel publishes foundational work on inheritance patterns in pea plants
-
Hybrid Corn Development, 1920s, CE
Introduction of hybrid corn varieties to improve yield and resilience using heterosis
-
Radiation-Induced Mutagenesis, 1940s, CE
Use of radiation to induce mutations in plants, leading to new crop varieties
-
Recombinant DNA Technology, 1973, CE
Development of techniques to combine DNA from different species
-
First Genetically Engineered Plant, 1983, CE
Creation of the first genetically modified tobacco plant using Agrobacterium-mediated transformation
-
Flavr Savr Tomato Approved, 1994, CE
First genetically engineered food approved for sale
-
Bt Cotton Commercialized, 1996, CE
Introduction of Bt cotton engineered to produce toxin against specific insect pests
-
Golden Rice Development, 2000, CE
Development of rice enriched with provitamin A to combat vitamin A deficiency
-
CRISPR-Cas9 Gene Editing, 2012, CE
Development of CRISPR-Cas9 as a precise gene-editing tool
-
First CRISPR-Edited Crop Approved, 2015, CE
Approval of the first CRISPR-edited tomato with increased GABA content
-
Gene-Edited Crops Commercialized, 2020s, CE
Approval and commercialization of several gene-edited crops with enhanced traits