Plant hybridization is when two species of the same genus are cross-fertilized in order to obtain specific characteristics of each. Some examples of desirable traits would be color, size, flavor, aroma, disease resistance, variegation, etc. Hybridization happens in nature, but we humans have been doing it artificially for hundreds of years.

Our food crops and ornamentals are largely a result of hybridization.

Hybrid may or not mean modified by horizontal transfer of DNA from one species into you plant seed. Basic hybridization crosses two different varieties of the same species. Some hybrids are stable and their progeny will come more or less true to type. Open pollinated (OP) varieties yield progeny with similar traits to the seed you plant but may be more variable because of broader genetic bases.

Many hybrid seed sold are highly uniform but would not yield seed that come true in later generations. These seeds are created by crossing one known parent with another in one direction (ie one male variety and another female variety). These kinds of hybrid seed are often patent protected and are available only from the breeder or contracted source.

These kinds of hybrids are often identified by the designation of the varietal name of F "sub 1" meaning the first generation of this cross. (I've forgotten how to code for a sub number.)

Hybrid seeds are those seeds that have been genetically modified through the normal cross pollination, the transfer of pollen from one plant with certain desirable characteristics to another plant with other desirable characteristics in the hope that a plant with other more desirable characteristics will be produced. So yes a hybrid plant would be a GM plant, but that is a normal process and has been happening for eons.
What we refer to as Genetically Modified Organisms, GMOs, are plants that have a gene that would never get into a plants DNA in a normal way, cross pollination, and only can be inserted in a laboratory. No testing has been done to determine if these organisms are safe for human consumption, and some are known to not be.
Unfortunately, many of the GMO plants have cross pollinated with non GMO plants and those laboratory inserted genes are now very prevelant in those plants that have been modified this way. Fortunately not all plants have yet been, but to be sure yo do not get some of these your best choice when selecting seeds is to choose organic.

How would selecting only organic seed reduce the odds of contamination from a GMO crop?

Certified organic seed cannot contain gmo genetic traits but in practice, if the USDA has its way, the 5% contamination rule will apply. Once that threshhold of contamination is accepted, the altered genetic packages will probably pass into the general varietal range of the crop. Insidious.

Hi, TeacherMom,

Contamination occurs through pollination. If a farmer in your area is growing GMO corn, for instance, his fields can cause contamination in a widespread area, largely depending upon wind condtions. Wind, bees, birds and insects spread pollin. A study in Mexico proved that GMO pollin contamination can spread far and wide. Only one farmer in the researched region was doing GMO, yet his crop cauased genetic mutation of other corn crops within a fifty mile radius.
Lorna

Lorna, there was also lots of illegal growing of gm maize in the region of Mexico in question. US companies were sending unmilled gm maize seed into Mexico and an illegal market for the seed appeared (or perhaps promoted by certain interests.)