Genetically modified organism. GMOs are obtained by transgenesis. This technique consists of transferring genes from one species to another or from one place to another within the same organism and making sure that these genes are expressed in their new environment. This method allows new characters that cannot be bred into commercial species by using crosses, to be introduced into these organisms. Notable examples are the maize made resistant to European corn borer – a parasitic insect – or plants made resistant to herbicides (information from INRA).