Which biotechnology method is classified as ancient and involved the domestication of plants?

The method classified as ancient and involving the domestication of plants is indeed ancient biotechnology. This approach refers to the traditional practices that humans have used for thousands of years to cultivate and improve plant crops and animal breeds through selective breeding. These early methods laid the groundwork for the agricultural practices we see today and include techniques such as selective breeding, fermentation, and natural cross-breeding.

This form of biotechnology is characterized by its reliance on knowledge accumulated over generations rather than the scientific methods that define modern biotechnology, such as genetic engineering. The selection of desirable traits in crops or livestock through empirical observation and experience represents an essential part of early agricultural development.

Other choices like genetic engineering and modern applications pertain to contemporary techniques that manipulate genetic material directly, while classical techniques refer more broadly to traditional scientific practices rather than the specific historical methods used for plant domestication. As such, ancient biotechnology is the appropriate classification for the domestication practices of early human societies.