Plant biotechnology is the application of scientific techniques to modify and manipulate plant cells or tissues for beneficial uses. Some key techniques include genetic engineering, which involves transferring genes between organisms, and tissue culture, which involves growing plant cells or tissues in artificial conditions. The first transgenic plant was created in 1983 when scientists transferred genes from other animals into tobacco plants. Golden rice, developed in 1999, was one of the earliest genetically engineered crops and was intended to produce beta-carotene to address vitamin A deficiencies.

1. What is Plant Biotechnology?
• The application of scientific method to manipulate living cells or
organisms for practical uses
• It is a biological phenomenon for copying and manufacturing various
kinds of useful substances
• It is a controlled use of biological agents such as micro-organisms or
cellular components for beneficial use

2. Historical Overview of Plant Biotechnology
• Matthias Schlieden and Theodor
Schwan proposed the concept of cell
theory in the 19th century
• Gottlieb Haberlandt, a German botanist
proposed the plant tissue culture.

3. Historical Overview cont’d
• In 1981, scientists at Ohio university proposed the first transgenic
animals by transferring genes from other animals into mice
• In 1980 genetic engineering was first used

4. Methods of Plant Biotechnology
• Gene Transfer
• Plasmids as Vectors
• Restriction Enzymes and DNA Ligase
• Cloning
• Polymerase Chain Reaction
• Tissue Culture

5. Gene Transfer:
• It’s the insertion of unrelated genetic information in the form of DNA
into cells
• Gene can be transferred between species through genetic engineering
• Genes can be transfer in two methods;
→ Vector mediated gene transfer
→ Direct gene transfer
• The result of gene transfer is called trans-genic organism

6. Gene Transfer Cont’d
• Vector-mediated gene transfer is carried out by a factor called
• Agrobacterium-mediate transformation
• Agrobacterium tumefaciens is a soil-borne gram-negative bacterium
• There are mainly two species of agrobacterium:
̶ A tumefaciens that induces Crown gall disease
̶ A rhizogene that induces hairy root disease
• Tumefaciens is a phytopathogen and is treated as the nature’s most effective
plant genetic engineer

7. Gene Transfer Cont’d

8. Plasmid as Vectors
• Vector is an agent that carries gene from one organism to another
• Plasmids are self replicating circular DNA molecules in bacteria that
are separate from and smaller than the bacteria chromosome, which
carries gene in plant
• Vectors which carries gene in plants are:
̶ Tobacco mosaic virus
̶ Cauliflower mosaic virus

9. Tobacco Mosaic Virus

10. Cauliflower Mosaic Virus

11. Restriction Enzymes and DNA Ligase
• Restriction enzymes and DNA ligase are used to make recombinant
DNA
• Restriction enzymes is a DNA cutting enzyme that recognizes specific
site in DNA
• It produces two ends; sticky and blunc
• The most common restriction enzyme is the EcoRI
• DNA Ligase is a joining enzyme

12. Restriction Enzymes and DNA Ligase Cont’d
• The steps involve;
1. DNA fragment is firstly isolated
2. Cutting of DNA
3. Joining of DNA

13. Cloning:
• Cloning is the process of genetically producing exact copy of a gene,
cell or organism
• Cloning produces multiple copies of recombinant DNA
• A clone is an exact copy of a gene, cell or organism
• Recombinant DNA involves modifying pre-existing genes to form new
genes
• The most common plasmids used in cloning are: pbr322 and puc18

14. Cloning Cont’d
• The are four steps involved in cloning:
1. Isolation
2. Ligation
3. Transfection
4. Selection

15. Cloning Into a Plasmid

16. Gene Cloning

17. Polymerase Chain Reaction
• The polymerase chain reaction clones DNA without using cells.
• PCR takes place in a small tube that contains the sample DNA called
primers.
• It includes all the four nucleotides of DNA coding (a, t, g and c)
• PCR is an indispensable tool
• Strength of PCR
• Weaknesses of PCR

19. Methods of Inserting Clone Genes Into
Plant Cells
• There are basically four ways of inserting clone genes into plant cells.
̶ Gene-gun
̶ Electroporation
̶ Micro-injection
̶ Liposomes

20. Gene Gun:
• Gene-gun biolistic particle
delivering system originally
designed for plant
transformation

21. Electroporation:
• Electroporation is a
microbiological technique in
which an electrical field is
applied in cells in order to
increase the probability of
the cell membrane

22. Micro-Injection:
• Micro-injection it is the use
of a micro pipet to inject
DNA into a cell.

23. Liposomes:
• Liposomes small spheres made
of liquid molecule that can
fuse easily with the plasma
membrane.

24. Tissue Culture
• Methods that encourage individual plants to express their totipotency in
an artificial medium is called tissue culture
• The cells first forms a mass of undifferentiated cells called callus
• Totipotency forms all types of cells in the body
• There are two basic types of tissue culture:
̶ Anther culture
̶ Meristem culture

25. Anther Culture:

26. Meristem Culture:

27. Genetic Engineering
• Genetic engineering transfers genes from varieties of organisms into
plants.
• Genetic engineering has made pest resistant plants
• This engineering has also made plants more productive
• As well they are resistant to pests

28. Genetic Engineering Cont’d
• Plants has been engineered to resist
pests viruses and fungi
• This resistance occurs because the
plants produce the proteins which
prevent the virus from attaching to
plant cell
• It also blocks the replication of genetic
codes in plants
• This production of proteins helps plants
like papaya against devastating spot ring
virus

29. Genetic Engineering Cont’d
• Genetic Engineering is the artificial manipulation, modification and
recombination of DNA or other nuclei acid molecules.
• Genetic engineering has made plants more resistant to harsh soil
conditions and pest.
• Plants have been engineered to overproduce than usual

30. Genetic Engineering Cont’d
• Plants are also engineered to be resistant to droughts and other soil
conditions
• Transgenic plants increases the crop production
• Transgenic plants contributes to human health and nutrition

31. Transgenic Plants
• Benefits of transgenic plants to humans
̶ Medical benefits
̶ Industrial benefits
̶ Agricultural benefits
̶ Transgenic plants improves poor access of food

32. Genetically Engineered Crops Require Extensive Field and
Market Testing Before They Are Released
• Field testing is creating, using and iterating your offering before
offering it to customers
• Test marketing is an experiment conducted in a field laboratory (the
test market) comprising of actual stores and real life buying
situations ,without the buyers knowing they are participating in an
evaluation exercise
• The sensitivity of a new plant may have increased in fungal disease.
• Time frame is 6yrs before it is available on the markets

33. Genetically Engineered Plants Must Be Safe For
Environment and Consumers
• It helps in the reduction of malnutrition
• It provides vitamins such as vitamin a, iron, zinc, protein, essential
amino acids and essential fatty acids
• It reduces the level of anti nutritional factors such as cyanogens etc

34. Advantages of Genetically Modified
Crops
• Nutritional content can be improved
• Genetically modified foods can have a longer shelf life
• We receive medical benefits from GM crops
• It creates foods that are more appealing to eat
• GM foods are easier to transport

35. Disadvantages of Genetically Modified Crops
• GM crops may cause antibiotic resistance
• Genes go into different plant species
• Independent research is not allowed

36. Brief History On The First Genetically
Modified Crop
• The first genetically modified food approved for release was the Flavr Savr
tomato in 1994. It was developed by a company called Calgene and it was
engineered to have a longer shelf life by inserting an antisense gene that delayed
ripening.

37. Golden Rice
• Golden rice is a variety of rice (oryza rice) produced through genetic
engineering to biosynthsize beta-carotene, a precursor in the edible
parts of rice.
• It is intended to produce a fortified food to be grown and consumed
in areas with a shortage of dietary vitamin a, a deficiency which each
year is estimated to kill 670,000 children under the age of five (5)
and cause an additional 500,000 causes of irreversible childhood
blindness.
• It was done in the philippines in 1999.

38. Golden Rice:

39. Genomics and Proteomics
• Genomics is the science which determine the nucleotide sequence
of a whole genome
• The nucleotide sequence specifies the amino acid sequence of a
protein, in which genomics is related to proteomics, which is the
science that deals with organisms’ proteins and functions