Agricultural Biotechnology
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Impact and risk assessment of biotechnological alterations on agriculture.Also discusses the biasness towards other similar practices and its disparagement.
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Agricultural Biotechnology
- 1. What is AgriculturalWhat is Agricultural Biotechnology ?Biotechnology ? Unmodified DNA Gene of Interest Promoter Gene Marker Gene Transgenic organism
- 2. What are the Goals of Biotech? Single-genetransfer Single-genetransfer GeneGene silencingsilencing Multi-genetransfer Multi-genetransfer Modifying gene expression Yield Nutrition Pest protection Rx Drugs Hardier plants Industrial products
- 3. Biotechnology In TheBiotechnology In The MarketplaceMarketplace Industrial ProductsIndustrial Products – CheeseCheese – WineWine – PharmaceuticalPharmaceutical drugsdrugs Agricultural ProductsAgricultural Products – PapayaPapaya – TomatoesTomatoes – PotatoesPotatoes – CottonCotton – SoybeansSoybeans – CanolaCanola – CornCorn – SquashSquash
- 4. Adoption of GM Crops Soybeans – more than 74 % Corn – about 32 % Cotton – more than 71 % Sweet corn – less than 5 % Potato – dropped due to poor sales Why are some popular, others not ?
- 5. So, why is biotechnology in agriculture so controversial ? Why are other types of biotechnology not as controversial ?
- 6. Biotechnology, Consumers, &Biotechnology, Consumers, & the Environmentthe Environment Some oppose biotech because theySome oppose biotech because they believe it poses an unacceptablebelieve it poses an unacceptable environmental riskenvironmental risk Others believe that it may be theOthers believe that it may be the solution to some importantsolution to some important environmental/agricultural problemsenvironmental/agricultural problems
- 7. Production Issues in AgricultureProduction Issues in Agriculture Over use of pesticidesOver use of pesticides Fertilizers leaching into water suppliesFertilizers leaching into water supplies Soil erosionSoil erosion Microbial contamination and food safetyMicrobial contamination and food safety Disposal of animal waste at large facilitiesDisposal of animal waste at large facilities Poor nutrition and unhealthy foodsPoor nutrition and unhealthy foods Crops not adapted for diverse environmentsCrops not adapted for diverse environments
- 8. What are the PotentialWhat are the Potential Environmental Risks ?Environmental Risks ? Herbicide resistanceHerbicide resistance Super weedsSuper weeds Gene escapeGene escape Effect on non-targetsEffect on non-targets Insect resistance &Insect resistance & refugiarefugia ‘‘GMO pollution’ of organic productionGMO pollution’ of organic production Biodiversity reductionBiodiversity reduction Antibiotic marker genesAntibiotic marker genes
- 9. What are the PotentialWhat are the Potential Environmental Benefits ?Environmental Benefits ? Insect and disease controlInsect and disease control Reduced pesticide usageReduced pesticide usage Effects on non-targetsEffects on non-targets Increased yieldsIncreased yields Crops for marginal lands Reduced animal waste Reduced soil erosion Less microbial contamination of foodsLess microbial contamination of foods
- 10. RiskRisk AssessmentAssessment •ScientistsScientists rate nuclear power as fairly safe;rate nuclear power as fairly safe; lay peoplelay people are horrified by it.are horrified by it. • ScientistsScientists think X-rays are moderately dangerousthink X-rays are moderately dangerous lay peoplelay people aren't so worried.aren't so worried. • ScientistsScientists rate swimming as rather hazardous;rate swimming as rather hazardous; lay peoplelay people consider it rather harmless.consider it rather harmless.
- 11. RiskRisk AssessmentAssessment • Natural risks are less scary Nuclear energy vs. radon gas • Risks imposed on us seem worse Nuclear energy vs. swimming •Risks associated with complex technologies and catastrophes are greater Nuclear energy vs. car accidents •Risks with an obvious benefit are less daunting
Editor's Notes
- This slides illustrates the basic concept of we will discuss in this presentation. Agricultural biotechnology means different things to different people. Many of the current ag biotech crops on the market have been modified with a single gene of interest. This could be a gene that controls the production of a vitamin, an enzyme, or a protein that protects the plant from insect attack. But to add this new gene, plant scientists have also added two additional genes, a promoter gene and a marker gene. The promoter gene controls when and where in the plant that the gene of interest is used. The marker gene helps scientists and plant breeders know which plants have been modified. Each of these genes may come from different organisms, the promoter may come from a virus, the gene of interest from a bacteria, and the marker from a plant. These three genes are inserted randomly into the genetic material of the plant as a unit.
- Plant scientists use various biotech techniques to modify plants. They may add a single gene of interest, as they have with many of the products on the market. We soon may see plants that have been modified with traits that are require multiple genes. Another tools used by plant scientists is gene silencing. Rather than adding traits to a plant, the expression of a particular is shut down. In the future, rather than simply adding or removing genes, scientists hope to be able to more precisely control gene expression within plants.
- The are a large number of products of agricultural biotechnology in the marketplace. I have divided these into two groups. The first group being those agricultural and pharmaceutical products in which the production process and been modified using biotechnology. Although these products are derived through biotechnology, they differ from the other group in that they are produced in a controlled environment. Because of that, environmental issues have not been a concern. However, the second group represents that agricultural crops that have been modified using biotechnology and grown on commercial farms. With these crops, they have been some environmental concerns that have been raised.
- The adoption of biotech agricultural products has been rapid with some crops, slow with others. In the US, soybean and cotton and cotton producers have adopted biotechnology to the greatest extent. With soybeans this has been due to the success of Roundup Ready technology and with cotton it has been Bt cotton and Roundup Ready cotton. Only about a third of the corn market is using biotech hybrids. This includes Bt corn, Roundup Ready corn, and Liberty Link corn. Bt sweet corn only represents a small fraction of the sweet corn market. Bt potatoes were on the market for several years, but have been dropped due to diminished markets.
- If we ignore biotechnology for a minute and look at agriculture in general, there are many environmental issues that need to be addressed with sustainable solutions. For example, everyone would agree that we need to eliminate unnecessary and over use of broad-spectrum pesticides. In the past, IPM has helped to do just that.
- There have been several concerns raised about potential environmental risks posed by certain biotech crops. In this slide the risks and the science-based assessments are discussed. It is important to keep in mind that when risks are identified, then strategies must be developed to managed those risks. For example, if antibiotic marker genes are found to be a risk, then replacing those with other types of marker genes may be the best method to manage the risk. With Bt crops and insect resistance, resistance management plans involving minimum, structured, crops refuges are used to prevent or delay the development of resistance.
- There are also many potential environmental benefits that may result from the use of agricultural biotechnology. These may help to address some of the issues confronting production agriculture.