Cisgenesis is genetic modification (= GM) of plants with cisgenes only.

A cisgene is a natural gene, coding for an (agricultural) trait, from the crop plant itself or from a sexually compatible donor plant that can be used in traditional plant breeding. It is in practice restricted to genes coding for dominantly inherited traits. The gene belongs to the breeder’s gene pool.

A cisgenic plant is a GM-plant with only cisgenes.

A transgene is a gene from a non-crossable species or it is a synthetic gene. It represents a new gene pool for plant breeding.

A transgenic plant is a GM-plant that contains transgenes.

Traditional or conventional breeding is using all classical and modern insights and techniques, including those related to biotechnology, however, without genetic modification. It includes a number of techniques that are not regarded as genetic modification or that are exempted from the GMO-legislation.

GMO-legislations, like the Directive 2001/18/EC, are the safety regulations for development and handling of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and products thereof in contained use, field experiments and market release. These regulations are based worldwide on techniques, like genetic modification, protoplast fusion, induced mutations, and on the source of genetic material.

Biotechnology is a compilation of cellular and molecular techniques. Cellular techniques and in vitro techniques are embryo rescue, protoplast fusion, plant regeneration and plant transformation, anther and microspore culture. Molecular techniques include genetic mapping, marker assisted breeding, genome sequencing and gene isolation.

Co-existence refers to the simultaneous existence of genetically modified crops in teh neighboorhood of conventional and organic crops.