Cereal Biotechnology
Tuesday, November 2nd, 2010
Cereals like wheat, maize and rice account for more than half the world’s food, and provide the bulk of basic human nutrition, directly and also indirectly as animal fodder. The demand for cereals will rise as:
* Population increases owing to better control over diseases and elimination of major conflicts like world wars, and
* Increasing prosperity leads to higher demand for food from people who could earlier afford only the bare minimum.
It is considered impossible to meet the growing demand with current methods of growing food. Modern biotechnology can help increase the supply of cereals through:
* Improving the effectiveness of traditional breeding programs by using molecular markers
* Increasing yields from existing fields through genetic modification, and
* Developing genetically modified crops that can be cultivated in regions presently inhospitable for cereal cultivation.
To achieve the above goals, however, better interactions are required between molecular biologists and industry managers. Legislative issues and public perceptions of GM crops also need to be addressed for achieving the goals.
The downloadable Cereal Biotechnology e-book goes into these details. The discussion in the book is clear and focused, and will help even non-specialists to gain an understanding of the issues involved.
The book is available for download at RapidShare.com.
Tags: biotechnology, crop science, genetic modification, traditional breeding
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The Case against and for Genetically Modified (GM) Crops
Sunday, September 26th, 2010
GM crops is one of the most fiercely opposed developments in the modern world. Opponents say that GM crops:
* Can pose dangers to the life network with consequent harm to environment and human life
* Might cause direct harm to environment through more toxic pesticides and weed killers, particularly when farmers seek to maximize yields for commercial profits
* Might result in direct harm to human and non-human consumers of the modified crops, as this aspect has not been sufficiently investigated
* Might destroy biodiversity through cross pollination by wind-borne pollens of GM crops and otherwise, resulting in loss of varieties that have invaluable traits
Proponents of GM crops point out that with existing crop varieties, it is simply impossible to meet the needs of a growing population, particularly when under-developed countries develop and begin to consume more food. Genetic modification can:
* Increase crop yields from areas that are already cultivated
* Make it possible to develop crop varieties that can be cultivated in presently hostile environments
* Eliminate the need to convert virgin forests into farms, and lead to environmental damage
The arguments are not yet settled one way or other. In the meanwhile, food availability for the world’s hungry continues to be an unsolved issue.
Tags: biotechnology, food availability, genetic modification, hunger
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Bt Brinjal and the GM Crops Dilemma
Wednesday, August 11th, 2010
The Indian government has put an indefinite moratorium on the commercial release of genetically modified Bt Brinjal (egg plant). The moratorium was imposed in response to a situation where “there is no clear consensus within the scientific community itself, when there is so much opposition from the state governments, civil society organizations and eminent scientists have raised many serious questions not been answered satisfactorily,” according to the central government minister.
Critics of Bt Brinjal argue that the new engineered crop could destroy the vast bio-diversity of the numerous varieties of local brinjal. Preserving bio-diversity is critical because many of the genetic traits of the different varieties could prove invaluable. For example, new high-yielding varieties of rice that led to the Indian green revolution made governments neglect several local rice varieties that had traits like drought-resistance (though not high yields).
On the other hand, opponents of the moratorium point out that with the “uncertainty prevailing about GM crops, the companies wanting to invest in bio technology in agricultural sector would be hesitant to do so.” They complain that “there has been no palpable, effective and time bound effort to resolve the uncertainties caused by the moratorium.”
The case is an excellent example of the dilemma caused by GM crops with fears such as destruction of bio-diversity and unknown risks on one part and the risk of losing the benefits of scientific research on the other.
Read the news at Financial Express.
Tags: biodiversity, biotechnology, genetic modification, GM crops
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The Second Green Revolution will Need GM Technology
Saturday, April 24th, 2010
In the article titled How Science Could Spark a Second Green Revolution, the author reports that a Pennsylvania State University professor and his colleagues have been working to develop crops with longer roots. Growing steeper and deeper into the ground, these roots will be able to find more moisture and nutrients.
According to the report, the team has been able to identify root traits that can produce “two or three times more food without fertilizer.” The professor, Jonathan Lynch, uses traditional cross-breeding techniques, and has also identified an unrecognized trait in corn that can improve yields eightfold in drought conditions.
The focus on root traits and drought resistant crops has a sound basis. In the first green revolution, focus was on fertilizer use and improved irrigation to increase agricultural productivity. However, with diminishing availability of good land, we need crops that can grow under hostile conditions.
Crops will have to be cultivated on marginal lands where both water and artificial fertilizer will be scarce. Additionally, climate change is likely to make presently agriculture-friendly regions drier and hotter. It is in this context that crops with roots that can get water and nutrients from deeper soil become significant.
Though Lynch had used traditional cross-breeding techniques, it is generally considered that Genetically Modified (GM) crops hold the key to the second green revolution. Though GM crops are facing opposition on safety and other considerations, genetic engineering seems to be only real solution for the likely food shortages in the future, according to many experts.
Read the full article at Checkbiotech.
Tags: biotechnology, crop science, cross breeding, drought resistance, genetic modification
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Biotech Wheat: A US Experience
Thursday, February 11th, 2010
The story of genetic modification of wheat illustrates a typical scenario for GM crops.
A genetically altered wheat variety was announced in May 1992 by scientists at Monsanto and the University of Florida. Monsanto provided a foreign gene and scientists used a gene-gun to inject it into wheat cells. The gene produced an enzyme that would make the wheat resistant to herbicides such as Roundup.
However, consumer attitudes towards transgenic crops were not promising. The attitude was that research into the long-term safety of GM food crops was inadequate. Wheat exports were affected as consumers resisted the new variety.
As the supply chain for wheat was not clearly segregated to prevent intermingling of biotech and non-biotech wheat, Japan even went to the extent of saying that it would not accept wheat from any nation that grew biotech wheat.
In the US, the Center for Food Safety and the Family Farm Coalition filed a petition to suspend the development of biotech wheat.
In May 2004, Monsanto shelved its genetically engineered Roundup Ready spring wheat.
In November 2008, however, US wheat industry released a “Biotechnology Principles for Commercialization”. The principles seek to improve communication among biotech trait providers, growers and wheat users. Technology providers will get regulatory approvals in the US.
The principles also address market considerations to prevent disruption in exports. Educating consumers in countries such as Japan and European Union receives high priority. Customers will be kept aware of developments so that there will be no surprises in the market.
Read the full story at: Biotech Wheat
Tags: biotech, biotech wheat, biotechnology, gene injection, genetic modification, genetically modified wheat, GM crops, wheat
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