Use of Biotechnology In Agriculture: Benefits and Risks

Allergens and toxins

Health related issues

Genes

are the encoded road map for an organism's development. thus, by manipulating genes, agricultural biotechnology are able to engineer the plants they desire down to the "roots"

-Potential gene escape and super weeds -loss of biodiversity

environmental and ecological issues

loss of biodiversity

many environmentalists, including farmers, are very concerned about the loss of biodiversity in our natural environment. increased adoption of conventionally bred crops raised similar concerns in the past century, which led to extensive efforts to collect and store seeds of as many varieties as possible of all major crops

Virus Resistance

many plants are susceptible to diseases caused by viruses, which are often spread by insects (such as aphids) from plant to plant across a field

herbicide tolerance

-chemical herbicides are frequently used to control weeds. -researchers realized that if a crop plant is genetically engineered to be resistant to a broad-spectrum herbicide, weed management could be simplified and safer chemicals could be used. it is often argued that such GE varieties reduce soil erosion, because they make adoption of soil-conserving practices such as "no till" easier.

Allergens and Toxins

-people with food allergies usually react only to one or a few allergens in one or two specific foods -a major safety concern raised with regard to genetic engineering technology is the risk of introducing allergens and toxins into otherwise safe foods

-increase agricultural productivity -enhances breeders' ability to make improvements in crops and livestock -enables improvements that are not possible with traditional crossing of related species alone

Scientists have developed solutions to:

Genetic engineering

all crops improved with transferred DNA to date have been developed to aid farmers increase productivity by reducing crop damage from weed, diseases or insects

-increased crop productivity -enhanced crop protection -improved nutritional value -better flavor -fresher produce -environmental benefits -herbicide tolerance -virus resistance

benefits of biotechnology in agriculture

Increased crop productivity

biotechnology has helped to increase crop productivity by introducing such qualities as disease resistance and increased drought tolerance to the crops. Researchers can select genes for disease resistance from other species and transfer them to important crops.

Better flavor

flavor can be altered by enhancing the activity of plant enzymes that transform aroma precursors into flavoring compounds. Transgenic peppers and melons with improved flavor are currently in field trials

Fresher produce

genetic engineering can result in improved keeping properties to make transport of fresh produce easier, giving consumers access to nutritionally valuable whole foods and preventing decay, damage, and loss of nutrients.

Agricultural Biotechnology

is a collection of scientific techniques used to improve plants, animals, and microorganisms. based on an understanding of DNA

Biotechnology

is the application of scientific techniques to modify and improve plants, animals, and microorganisms to enhance their value

-health-related issues -environnemntal and ecological issues -social issues

issues and fears of biotechnology in agriculture

Improved nutritional value

it has allowed new options for improving the nutritional value, flavor, and texture of foods. Transgenic crops in development include soybeans with higher protein content, potatoes with more nutritionally available starch content and beans with more essential amino acids.

Enhanced crop protection

it provides cost-effective solutions to pest problems such as corn, cotton, and potato have been successfully transformed through genetic engineering to make a protein that kills certain insects when they feed on the plants

molecular markers

scientists can use molecular markers to select plants or animals that possess a desirable gene, even in the absence of a visible trait. Thus, breeding is more precise and efficient.

labeling

social issues

Labeling

some consumer groups argue that foods derived from genetically engineered crops should carry a special label. in the USA, these foods currently must be labeled only if they are nutritionally different from a conventional food.

Potential gene escape and super weeds

there is a belief among some opponents of genetic engineering technology that transgenic crops might cross pollinate with related weeds, possibly resulting in "superweeds" that become more difficult to control

Flowers

there is some simply aesthetic application and an example of this is the use of gene recognition and transfer techniques to improve the color, smell, size, and other features of flowers. -biotechnology has been used to make improvements to other common ornamental plants, in particular, shrubs and trees

Environmental benefits

when genetic engineering results in reduced pesticide dependence, we have less pesticide residues in foods, we produce pesticide leaching into groundwater, and we minimize farm worker exposure to hazardous products