Table 1. Teachers’ knowledge about GMO. The highest results are in bold.

Statement

Correct answer

Correct

Incorrect

Do not know/empty

2
5

All mutations are harmful.

No

132
76.3%

11
6.4%

30
17.3%

9

Products from GMO (genetically modified organisms) must be labelled as containing GM components.

Yes

128
74.0%

3
1.7%

42
24.3%

1
4

Before application of GM (genetically modified) plants, it is obligatory to perform a risk assessment about possible harmful influences of GM plants on the health of people, animals (other organisms) and the environment.

Yes

128
74.0%

3
1.7%

42
24.3%

2
2

The sex of the child depends on male sex cells.

Yes

128
74.0%

25
14.5%

20
11.6%

3

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) occurs only in genetically modified organisms.

No

121
69.9%

3
1.7%

49
28.3%

1
0

A cat can fertilize a female rabbit; the resulting young rabbits have shorter ears.

No

118
68.2%

6
3.5%

49
28.3%

1
3

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is a source of information for the synthesis of proteins.

Yes

112
64.7%

3
1.7%

58
33.5%

2
9

Cloning of human embryos is already possible.

Yes

112
64.7%

21
12.1%

40
23.1%

2
0

Ribonucleic acid (RNA) is a genetically modified form of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA).

No

108
62.4%

4
2.3%

61
35.3%

5

Genes are sequences (of nucleotides) on chromosomes.

Yes

106
61.3%

8
4.6%

59
34.1%

1
1

Mutations are the result of cloning.

No

105
60.7%

34
19.7%

34
19.7%

2
6

Bread rising is a biotechnological process.

Yes

104
60.1%

23
13.3%

46
26.6%

1
2

Mutations are always inherited.

No

100
57.8%

38
22.0%

35
20.2%

4

Bacteria genes from yogurt that can be consumed can be incorporated into cells in the human organism.

No

84
48.6%

10
5.8%

79
45.7%

2
8

Stem cells occur in adult humans.

Yes

74
42.8%

41
23.7%

58
33.5%

1
7

Therapeutic cloning from stem cells harvested from an adult produces several types of cells, used for treating diseases or harmful tissues of the same person.

Yes

73
42.2%

10
5.8%

90
52.0%

1
9

Recessive genes are never expressed.

No

70
40.5%

17
9.8%

86
49.7%

1
6

Therapeutic cloning from cells harvested from an adult, produces an embryo, the source of embryonic stem cells, which develop into several types of cells, used for treating diseases or harmful tissues of the same person.

Yes

69
39.9%

14
8.1%

90
52.0%

6

Genes are not normally transmitted from species to species in nature.

Yes

67
38.7%

68
39.3%

38
22.0%

2
3

Biogas methane from biogas reactors is produced by bacteria.

Yes

66
38.2%

14
8.1%

93
53.8%

1
8

Propagation of plants by cuttings is cloning.

Yes

59
34.1%

81
46.8%

33
19.1%

1

Bacteria have the ability to mutually exchange genes.

Yes

57
32.9%

25
14.5%

91
52.6%

3
0

The transfer of animal genes to plants is possible.

Yes

57
32.9%

36
20.8%

80
46.2%

2
1

Slovenia has passed a law dealing with GMOs.

Yes

39
22.5%

34
19.7%

100
57.8%

2
7

The cloning of genes and the cloning of organisms require the same methods of work.

No

37
21.4%

17
9.8%

119
68.8%

2
4

In Slovenia only GM corn is produced and marked as MON 810.

No

35
20.2%

11
6.4%

127
73.4%

8

Insulin for treating human diabetes is produced from GM (genetically modified) pig and cow pancreata.

No

30
17.3%

42
24.3%

101
58.4%

7

GM crops are cultivated in Slovenia.

No

19
11.0%

95
54.9%

59
34.1%

2

The vaccine against hepatitis B used to vaccinate all school children was produced with genetically modified yeast.

Yes

15
8.7%

23
13.3%

135
78.0%

1
5

Reproductive cloning from cells harvested from an adult produces an embryo from which develops a child genetically identical to this adult.

No

5
2.9%

117
67.6%

51
29.5%