Hybridization vs. Genetic Modification

In a sense genetic engineering and hybridization both accomplish the same thing - they both result in new genetic types. The difference is in how they accomplish this.

Hybrids come from seeds that are developed by cross-pollinating specific parental types so that the next generation will be a very uniform crop with hybrid vigor.

Hybrid vigor is typically observed in outcrossing species (grasses and grains for example) when two very different inbred lines are cross pollinated.

The hybrid gets half of its genes from each parent.

Genetic engineering usually refers to biotechnological methods that can be used to insert a very small piece of genetic material (DNA) so that the resulting plants can be nearly identical to the parent, except for the gene or genes that were inserted.

Nowadays, some hybrids may have genes that are artificially inserted, using high tech biotechnology methods. But, generally speaking, hybrids are not genetically engineered, that is, not using high-tech or biotechnology.

In some sense though, plant breeders have been genetically engineering crops for hundreds of years, because they have been using traditional hybridization (cross pollination) techniques to obtain new (recombinant) types.