The human population is growing at a higher rate despite the limited availability
of resources that are essential to run our lives. The productivity of most
crops is not sufficient to meet the food demand with the rising population.
Therefore, scientists have been forced to find new solutions to overcome this
issue and feed everybody in the world. Among many other strategies invented,
biotechnology in agriculture has been able to play a major role. According to Encyclopedia,
biotechnology can be defined as the use of biology to solve problems and make
useful products. It can be a modification of a
plant, animal, or microorganism to achieve certain desirable characteristics,
most often high yield and pest & disease resistance.
Applications of
biotechnology in agriculture vary from simple to very complex mechanisms
involving gene manipulation. One of the very common applications is the micropropagation of disease-free plants. For an instance, banana is grown in
underdeveloped nations as a source of nutrition, employment, and earnings. Using
micropropagation techniques, mass production of disease-free banana plantlets can
be carried out from healthy tissues. The development of embryos from somatic cells in culture result in artificial seed production is
also done. These seeds are more viable which results in promised germination
leading to higher productivity. There are also certain crops that are fortified with
nutrients to help children in developing countries overcome malnutrition. Golden
rice is a very popular rice variety that has been genetically modified to
contain beta-carotene, a precursor to vitamin A. A gene from maize or daffodil
plants and common soil bacterium (Erwinia) are used here. As a result,
it can be used to treat Vitamin A-related vision problems. Soybeans that
produce more healthful combinations of fatty acids have also been produced
using biotechnology.
The genes of the natural soil bacterium Bacillus
thuringiensis (BT) have been injected into the cotton crop to produce a
specific protein. This protein is poisonous to insects like the pink bollworm (Pectinophora
gossypiella) and cotton boll worm (Helicoverpa zea), tobacco budworm (Helio thisvirescens) and fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda).
Thanks to this genetic modification, BT varieties are able to produce higher
yields under a variety of growing conditions. HT crops or genetically
engineered herbicide-tolerant are also being used in agriculture. In these crops,
a gene from the soil bacterium Agrobacterium tumefaciens is included. It
makes the receiver plant resistant to glyphosate, a broad-spectrum herbicide.
HT crops can help with weed control and reduce production costs. Drought is one
of the most critical environmental stresses that limit crop production
worldwide. The techniques for gene transformation of crop plants were used to
identify and transmit the gene responsible for drought tolerance. Specifically,
two methods, namely targeted and short gun approaches, promote genetic
modification to achieve drought-resistant transgenic plants. Similarly, the RAJ
wheat cultivar was created for Pakistan's rain-fed regions. Wheat content from
foreign and local germplasm is screened for this purpose, with a focus on
drought tolerance and disease resistance. Grain production, disease and drought
tolerance, and other agronomic traits were assessed in RAJ. This variety has
been able to record a higher wheat yield.
The pH balance in soil is also essential
for successful crop production. Farmers adopt simple methods like the application
of lime to increase the soil pH. But, such treatments are expensive and only
last for a short time. Conversely, improved aluminum-tolerant cultivars can be
developed which can tolerate the available pH values and give a good output. Crops
require a combination of nutrients from the soil to grow properly, as phosphate
and nitrogen are the most important elements in metabolism. But, soil has been
depreciated over time and the use of synthetic fertilizers is not helping either
farmers’ economy or the environment. Biofertilizers are the best alternative
that includes various organisms, such as Penicillium bilaii, which aids
in the dissociation of phosphorus in the soil so that roots can better consume it,
and Rhizobium, which aids in nitrogen fixation. Biofertilizers minimize the use
of costly artificial fertilizers while still being environmentally friendly.
Floriculture
is synonymous with the flower cultivation industry, and biotechnology is
playing an important role in the development of new varieties that increase
color, smell, height, and flower longevity. The composition of flower color is
primarily influenced by three pigments: flavonoids, carotenoids, and betalains.
The addition of a gene that modifies the metabolic route of flavonoids, as this
path concerns colored anthocyanins and anthocyanidin 3-o-glucosides, is
involved in flower color variation by gene manipulation. Other factors involved
in the final colour, such as the involvement of anthocyanins and other
pigments, as well as their structural alteration and vacuolar pH, are
controlled by various genes. Carnations and roses in a new blue-violet flower
color have been successfully created. Color variation is achieved by modifying
the F3/H and F3/5/H genes.
Animal
husbandry is also an important sector in agriculture. Biotechnology has been
able to make a huge impact in this particular area as well. Animal feeds frequently contain genetically
modified crops, products derived from them, and enzymes derived from
genetically modified microorganisms. Compound feeds are formulated from a
variety of raw materials, including maize and other cereals, as well as
oilseeds like soybeans and canola, and are primarily used for poultry, pigs,
and dairy cows. Biotechnology has also developed animal nutrition aids such as
vitamins, probiotics, single-cell proteins, and antibiotic feed additives,
which are commonly used in intensive production processes around the world to
increase food supply and livestock and aquaculture productivity. Gene-based
technologies are constantly being used to enhance animal feeding, either by
altering feeds to make them more digestible or by modifying animals' digestive
and metabolic processes to help them make greater use of the feeds that are
available. Artificial insemination and multiple ovulation followed by embryo
transfer has already had a significant impact on livestock improvement and
development programs in both developed and developing countries because they
speed up genetic improvement, reduce disease transmission risk, and increase
the number of animals that can be bred from superior parents.
In fisheries, reproductive biotechnology
can help increase growth rates and enhance the management of farmed species while
also limiting the reproductive capacity of genetically engineered species.
Aquaculture is a hotbed of genetic engineering research and development.
Because of their large size and hardiness, many fish eggs can be easily
manipulated, allowing for gene transfer through direct injection of a foreign
gene or electroporation, which uses an electric field to aid gene transfer.
Gene transfer has been shown to significantly increase growth rates in carp,
salmon, tilapia, and other fish species when genes that produce growth hormones
are transferred. In addition, salmon was given a gene from a winter flounder
that produces an antifreeze protein in the hopes of expanding the fish's
farming range. Although this gene did not produce sufficient protein to enable
the salmon to migrate to colder waters, it allowed them to develop during the
winter months when non-transgenic salmon could not. These applications are
still in the research and development stage.
To develop genetic markers for
aquaculture organisms, a number of methods have been used. In aquaculture
research, dominantly expressed markers have been commonly used. Amplified
fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers are a cost-effective alternative to
DNA sequencing for species where DNA sequencing is not available or where
resources for QTL mapping are restricted. Random amplified polymorphic DNA
(RAPD) markers are favored over dominant AFLP markers as they can produce
hundreds of markers and are more reproducible in other lines or populations as
well as in other laboratories. Also, to protect fish and livestock from
pathogens and parasites, genetically engineered vaccines are being made. In
terms of efficacy, precision, and stability, recombinant vaccines have many
benefits over traditional vaccines. In addition to technological advancements,
biotechnology developments would reduce the cost of vaccine development,
improving supply and affordability for smallholders.
Advanced biotechnology-based diagnostic
tests allow for a level of accuracy in identifying disease-causing agents and
monitoring the effects of disease prevention programs that were historically
unavailable. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique is particularly
helpful in diagnosing plant diseases and is proving increasingly so for
livestock and fish diseases. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)
experiments have become the basic protocol for the diagnosis and surveillance
of many animal and fish diseases around the world, and the polymerase chain
reaction (PCR) technique is especially helpful in diagnosing plant diseases and
is proving increasingly so for livestock and fish diseases.
There is a discussion on whether these
applications are affecting human health and the environment. The main drawbacks
include allergies or failing to perform the desired effect, loss of biodiversity, and genetic contamination of natural, global staple foods. There are several
countries in the world that have banned genetically modified food or related
products. Some people personally do not prefer this food or the applications
based on their spiritual beliefs. However, it is no doubt that biotechnology
can be used as a strong tool in eliminating world hunger that is increasing hand
in hand with the rising population.
Article by : P N M S Piyarathne
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