Plant patents predate GMOs. If you cross-pollinate or graft into a new cultivar, you can patent it. Here's a climbing rose patent from 1930: https://patents.go

Plant patents predate GMOs. If you cross-pollinate or graft into a new cultivar, you can patent it. Here's a climbing rose patent from 1930: https://patents.google.com/patent/USPP1P/en https://patents.google.com/patent/USPP1P/en