Technically gmo is just a "modern" way to combine different genetic traits, so in this case I would say why bother creating new hybrids, or selecting the best seedlings?
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We can imagine many ethically wrong and/or mostly useless things possible to do. But also some useful ones to reintroduce some species by allowing them to be a little more tolerant in their growth condition. Don't get me wrong, I still don't think we should do it, protecting the current ecosystems they growth in is a better option.
If by modern, you mean artificial, then yes.
and Honestly, I dont think the plants care about becoming artificially "more tolerant". They have been perfectly tolerant
for the hundreds of years in their environments before humans came along and changed them. Its just people getting bored and editing genes because they can,
or just because theyre bored. (or both.) People are only GMOing so we can sell it. or do something for people.
To me, it just feels like another marketing ploy and people just wanting to edit things in order to say "I made this all on my own, humans rule, (blah blah)"
or something along those lines. Just like the luminescent tobacco plant that came out a few years back. Sure, there is legitimate scientific research and purpose behind it,
but its just another thing humans want to dip their hands into and ruin. IT seems like owning the world and everything after that just wasnt enough.
