How do traditional breeding and genetic modification differ?

Traditional breeding involves selecting individuals with desirable traits and crossing them over generations to enhance those traits within a population. This process relies on natural genetic variation and the ability of organisms to inherit characteristics from their parents without directly altering the genetic material. Essentially, traditional breeding capitalizes on existing genetic variation within a species.

Genetic modification, on the other hand, involves direct manipulation of an organism's DNA. This typically includes techniques such as recombinant DNA technology, where genes from one organism are inserted into another to confer specific traits. This method allows for the introduction of traits that may not be possible through traditional breeding due to barriers such as species incompatibility.

Option C accurately captures this distinction: traditional breeding focuses on selecting and enhancing existing traits through conventional crossbreeding, while genetic modification fundamentally alters the DNA itself to achieve desired characteristics. This highlights the essential differences in methodology between the two approaches.