Further crosses may be necessary to obtain plants with the desired combination of parental traits. The particle gun is one of the tools used to transfer DNA from one source to another. Genetic engineering relies on the ability to regenerate whole plants from cells or tissues such as this peanut plant developing from a plant leaflet. Another method for transferring genes is to move the DNA directly. Direct combining of DNA is called genetic engineering.
New techniques make it possible to use genes from totally unrelated organisms.
Then they move these genes into the host plant. One of the advantages of this system is the ability to move just the trait of interest without carrying along any undesirable genes. With genetic engineering, the time from discovery to incorporation of a desirable trait into a host organism will usually be shorter than with the use of classical breeding techniques to produce new varieties. Genetic engineering may help crop producers reduce dependence on pesticides by affecting the plant's resistance or tolerance to pests in the field.