Answer :

When scientists alter the hereditary material of corn, it is called genetic modification or genetic engineering. This process involves changing the genetic makeup of an organism by introducing specific DNA sequences into its genome.

Here's a breakdown of the process:
1. Scientists identify the specific gene or genes they want to introduce or modify in the corn plant to enhance certain traits, such as resistance to pests or diseases, tolerance to herbicides, or improved nutritional content.
2. They isolate the desired gene(s) from another organism, like a bacterium or a different plant species, that possess the desired trait.
3. Using techniques like gene splicing or gene editing, scientists insert the isolated gene(s) into the corn plant's genome.
4. The modified corn plant then expresses the new gene(s) and exhibits the desired traits.

Genetic modification has been widely used in agriculture to improve crop yield, quality, and resistance to environmental stressors. It has raised some ethical and environmental concerns but has also led to the development of genetically modified crops that benefit farmers and consumers.

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