Bio Final

Neel oil

comes from neem tree--> azadirachta Indica

Hybrid vigor

corn plants will be very vigorous (won't suffer from inbreeding depression)

HT crops

crops able to resist the application of herbicide while the unwanted weeds die because they contain a particular enzyme that is not de-activated by herbicide

BT crops

crops able to resist the corn pests because they produce the BT toxin

Quality of deep groundwater could take how long to improve?

decades

The organic Trade association (OTA)

established in 1985 in the US and Canada OTA= membership-based association promoting organic in all of its phases

Essential oils that repel insects are used in organic food production:

eugenol thyme oil

Organic product sales in 2015

exceeded 39 billion

Made with organic ingredients

foods that contain at least 70% organic ingredients. No USDA seal. May list specific organic ingredients on the front of the package

This biotechnology resulted in:

genetically modified organisms -Also called transgenic/genetically engineered

2. Crop rotation

in the same field; reduces food availability for insect and disrupts life cycle

eugenol

is clove oil extracted from cloves

Adult phase of corn rootworm eats..

leaves and sometimes corn silks

What are utility patents?

-Allow patent owners to deny farmers rights to save and replant seed and also to exclude others from conducting research on the patented variety **Affirmed in 2001 by the supreme court

4. Use resistant varieties of crops

-reduces need for pesticides

Plant Patent Act

-1930 -allowing patenting of "asexually" propagated plants -sexually propagated varieties (via seeds) were not allowed

Diamond V. chakrabarty

-1980 -Landmark 5-4 supreme court case allowed genetically engineered bacterium to be patented

Chemical companies began using biotechnology in what decades?

-1980s and 1990s -Alternative solutions to combat insects and weeds -not necessarily chemical-free

What does the pesticide exposure map state?

-28 states do not require healthcare providers to report pesticides illnesses -30 states require health professionals to report pesticide poisonings -12 states have the resources and capacity to actively investigate

Golden rice contains:

-3 new genes -one from daffodils *Plant produces Beta-carotene in the grain

What is BT corn?

-A type of corn that has been genetically engineered by inserting genes from a soil bacteria into its DNA -This bacteria naturally produces spores that make a toxin that kills insects that consume them -GMO corn produces toxin in every part of the plant

Plant Variety Protection Act (PVPA)

-Allowed USDA to grant "certificates of protection" for novel sexually reproduced plants BUT 1. farmers were still allowed to save seeds fro replanting 2. patented varieties has to be made available to researchers

Unilever uses GM Yeast to grow?

-Antifreeze proteins base on a gene from the ocean pout *Used to improve the consistency and storage properties of its ice cream brands

Transgenic Atlantic salmon

-Contains genes from cold-water chinook to grow faster *models show that GM salmon escapees in 40-60 generations could wipe out wild salmon populations *Sea lice from fish farms hazardous

rBGH milk causes cow?

-Mastitis -More antibiotics used and increase early puberty and incidence of cancer in adults

Why are organic foods priced higher?

-Not subsidized by the government, more expensive to produce, more labor, smaller market share

Major part of "industrial agriculture"

-Pesticide -use in the form of insecticides and weed killers

What gene does the enviropig contain?

-Phytase; comes from Escherichia coli bacteria and a promoter gene from a mouse -Phytase protein breaks down phosphorus compounds allowing pig to absorb more

Open pollinated varieties

-Plants are allowed to cross-pollinate freely with compatible plants in the area -lets of genetic variation in the population -seeds can be saved for planting next year -Plants will breed "true to type"

Silent Spring

-Rachel Carson -1972 -Alerted the world to that pesticides were not good -Peregrine was banned worldwide except malaria infected regions

Organic certification process:

-Requires 3 years of organic production before USDA certification can occur -Certification by brokers representing the USDA -Accurate record-keeping is an absolute necessity -Must follow the national list of allowed and prohibited substances

Landraces

-Through selection, farmers have developed locally-adapted crop varieties for their own use. **Locally-adapted varieties of crop plants

1985

-US patent and trademark office approved patenting of sexually reproducing plants -Allowed corporations to obtain what were not called "Utility Patents"

Enviropig

-a GM Yorkshire pig able to digest plant phosphorus more efficiently

3. timing of planting

-can reduce exposure to pests

Major GMO agricultural crops

-corn -soybeans -cotton -canola -papaya from Hawaii -alfalfa

BT corn varieties are resistant to attack by the..

-corn rootworm -corn earworm -European corn borer

corn earworm:

-eat the ear of the corn

People selects and breed plants that contain desirable characteristics such as..

-high yielding -insect pest resistance -Disease resistance -better taste -more nutritious

Pyrethrins

-much less toxic than the average synthetic insecticide-extracted from the flowers of the genus Pyrethrum

Hybrid Varieties

-plants are crossed with other plants in very controlled fashion using parents that are inbred -Inbred=plants crossed among themselves for multiple generations -less genetic variation -next year's plants will NOT look like this year's plants -Segregation will occur

Corn rootworm:

-reduces water and nutrient uptake through the roots, resulting in both water stress and nutrient stress to the plant -Leaf photosynthesis is reduced to damage of photosynthetic cells

Patents for plants began:

-seed companies tried to get Patents for plant varieties as early as 1885

Agriculture has been based on:

-seeds and seed saving

What was California's crop pesticide use by category??

-synthetic- pre-planting applied (26.6%) -Synthetic, crop applied (18.2%) -Mineral-Based (34.4%) -Oil-based (20.4%)

What is another problem for agriculture besides insects?

-weeds -compete with agricultural plants for water, nutrients, light, etc. -People developed herbicides (weed killers)

two major types of GMO crops have been developed using biotechnology to solve insect and weed problems:

1. BT crops 2. HT crops

Now only a few multinational corporations control most of the seed industry worldwide due to..

1. Corporations rushing to patent thousands of varieties of seeds and plants 2. Chemical companies bought out seed companies and developed GMO varieties contacting novel genetic constructs

Concerns of rBST and rBGH:

1. animal health 2. Increase in insulin-like growth factor

Feeding pigs GMO corn for 31 days resulted:

1. ate more 2. less efficient at converting feed to weight gain 3. had heavier kidneys 4. Duodenal Villi had fewer goblet cells/unit areas

1. Pests and weeds can be reduced by:

1. crop rotation 2. timing of planting 3. insecticides, herbicides 4. Use resistant varieties of crops

There are 5 different types of BT corn to control the European Corn Borer and they all have genes...

1. from bacillus thuringiensis bacteria 2. from cauliflower 3. for antibiotic resistance from bacteria

plant varieties are generally categorized as..

1. open pollinated 2. hybrids

how to breed corn hybrids

1. pollen from a particular male 2. is forced to pollinate a particular female *Controlled pollination

Pro's of GMO's

1. reduces or eliminates use of pesticides 2. crops can be developed to be resistant to certain diseases 3. crops can be developed to contain certain beneficial products such as vitamins 4. crops can be developed to extend shelf life of fruit

Con's of GMO's

1. resistance to Bt has evolved in various insects 2. resistance to glyphosate has evolved in various weeds 3. more pesticides and herbicides are now being applied 4. industry has been able to lobby for laws allowing increased pesticide levels in foods 5. seed diversity has declined drastically in the last few years 6. no long-term human clinical safety trials have ever been conducted 7. studies in animals have demonstrated the GMO's negatively affect health 8. Farmers can't save seeds, and in most cases, there are no seeds to save

How to make hybrid corn?

1. start with inbred lines 2. Cross hybrids 1 & 2 to form a hybrid containing genes from A, B, C, D in one single plant

Organic food is produced without..

1. synthetic pesticides 2. synthetic fertilizers 3. artificial dyes or colorants 4. GMOS 5. Irradiation 6. Industrial solvents

Companies do not have to...

1. test the safety of transgenic meats 2. specifically label products made from GM animals

GMO crops in development:

1. tomatoes 2. zucchini 3. yellow squash

Bt corn contains:

10,000-100,000 times more Bt toxin than a corn plant sprayed with Bt *rain washes away Bt

Agriculture began about:

10,000-12,000 years ago

In California alone, in 2013, how many pounds of pesticides were used in crop agriculture?

171 million

The term "organic" was first used..

1940- by JJ rodale in a publication called "fact digger" 1942-Fact digest was succeeded by magazine called "organic farming and gardening"

What percent of organic food sales occur at mainstream grocery stores?

54%

how many pounds of pesticides are used world wide?

6 billion pounds

Bacillus Thuringiensis is responsible for:

A production of a toxin which is poisonous to insects like the European corn borer and the corn rootworm

Heterozygous (not inbred)

An organism that contains different genes for a particular trait from mother and father.

Homozygous (inbred)

An organism that contains similar genes for a particular trait from mother and father.

Dent

Corn is the basis of the fast food industry

Major corn pests in the Midwest

Corn rootworm Corn earworm European corn borer

100% organic

Foods completely organic or made with 100% organic ingredients. USDA seal allowed

Organic

Foods that contain at least 95% organic ingredients. USDA organic seal allowed

Contains organic ingredients

Foods that contain less than 70% organic ingredients. No USDA organic seal. May list specific organic ingredients on the info panel of the package

Most abundant protein In human blood:

HSA

Landrace=

Heirloom *Landraces gave way to many heirloom varieties of plants

Which has increased more over the years; herbicide or insecticide?

Herbicide

European corn borer:

Larvae eat right through the corn stalk

GM cows produce the antimicrobial protein:

Lysostaphin in their milk

USDA appointed....

Organic standards board (NOSB) and established the National Organic program (NOP)

rBST hormone

Recombiant Bovine Somatotrophin

Who is supplying the US with organic corn?

Romania

Crown gall tumors are caused by the bacteria:

agrobacterium tumefaciens

are pesticides used in organic agriculture?

Yes.. organic pesticides

How many pounds of pesticides are used every year in the US every year?

a billion

Inbred line

a group of corn plants that have been self-pollinated for several generations, hence they have low genetic diversity

How to keep insects from eating the food that we produce?

after WWI and WWII, people developed many insecticides based on nerve gas and other toxic chemicals

Major types of insecticides

organochlorides organaophosphates pyrethroids neonicotinoids ryanoids plant-incorporated protectants

Pigs normally excrete most of _____they consume?

phosphorus

rBGH hormone

recombinant bovine growth hormone

Larval phase of rootworm eats...

roots

gene

section of DNA in a chromosome that controls the expression of a particular physical trait

Many milk products come from cows..

that have been treated with rGBH

HT corn is resistant to..

the herbicide glyphosate

Can organic agriculture and agroecology feed the world?

yes