Agricultural Genetic Engineering : A Vital Biotechnological Tool

“Biotechnology has been used for more than 6,000 years for lots of interesting and practical purposes: making food such as bread and cheese, preserving dairy products and fermenting beer” (Biotechnology - Promising a Brighter Future for the World). Although we do not always realize it, biotechnology is a huge part of our everyday lives, from the medicine we use to keep us healthy, the fuel we use to take us where we need to go, and even the food we eat and the sources it comes from, biotechnology already plays, and must continue to play, an invaluable role in meeting our needs. Biotechnology uses cellular and bio-molecular processes to develop technologies and products that help improve our

Genetically modified crops are being developed to produce their own pesticide. This will bring the rapid appearance of resistant insects. Even worse, these pesticide producing plants have killed some beneficial insects and pests that many farmers use in their crops. For example, inserting a gene from a snowdrop, a perennial herb found in Europe and Asia into a potato, made the potato resistant to the green fly, but killed lady bugs that feed on green flies.

Information from universities are generally reliable. This website is entirely information about “Bacillus thuringiensis,” which is an important protein in farming and GMO crops. This gene creates a naturally insecticide in the crops; they explore the benefits and risks of using Bt. The part of the website that I referred to writes about other GM products including insulin, engineering vs breeding, and types of GM plants and their contribution to various scientific fields.

Not only are GMOs harmful to humans they affect many other communities. “GMOs are also responsible for killing off bees, bats, butterflies, and other pollinators, whose bodies are unable to handle the onslaught of altered DNA and chemicals that are characteristic of GMO technologies”(Bensen). This shows that GMO is not only an issue for humans but it directly affects the insect and animals communities around the plants. These are living organisms that these plants need for pollination. GMOs and the pesticides used on these crops to fight off the insects and weeds is creating more powerful weeds and insects called “SuperWeeds” and “SuperBugs.” “And this built-in resistance has allowed farmers to indiscriminately spray chemicals like Roundup on their crops without worrying about killing them. But this system is now failing, as the weeds and pests targeted by GMO technologies have mutated and developed resistance to crop chemicals and Bt toxin” (Benson). These chemicals are effective for a short period of time However these chemicals become ineffective, the offspring of the insects can be immune to the chemical. This creates a need for a new and stronger chemical mix. GMO seeds and destroy the soil and kill beneficial

The USDA regulates GMOs from the standpoint of preventing the spread of pests, weeds, and diseases under the Federal Plant Pest Act (FPPA). USDA also regulates the spread of new varieties of feedstock whether they are developed by selection or hybridization, or are genetically modified. Crops that are bioengineered for pest resistance could have a number of advantages, such as increased yield and reduced or eliminated use of insecticides.127 Hundreds of field trials of GMO plants are now being carried out each year with only researcher notification, as is required by the USDA.127

For the last several decades, the world has been plagued by widespread starvation and poverty. Economies are failing in numerous countries, and developing nations struggle to feed their inhabitants. As a result of the world’s mounting overpopulation, food has become scarce and resources are rapidly dwindling. However, modern science has provided a solution: agricultural biotechnology. Genetically engineered crops represent the bright future of agriculture. Crops like cotton, corn, and soybeans can have genes inserted or deleted into their cell membranes; this modification facilitates pest and virus resistance, drought tolerance, and even provides nutritional enhancement. Genetically altered crops produce much higher

Our world is full of complications, situations that need people’s attention. Scientists are attempting to find answers for most of the world’s difficulties. Nevertheless, a solution for one problem creates some other obstacle. It becomes impossible to create a solution that does not have side effects. One of the difficult situations in this world is hunger and poverty. Many people lack enough food to live a healthy life, especially in developing and underdeveloped countries. In order to provide sufficient food and maintain food security, scientists discovered genetically altered foods. Genetically engineered foods are grown from plants or animals whose genes are modified by inserting new genes that can increase the plant’s and animal’s resistance to diseases and worms. By doing so, researchers improve crop yield and animal products. In addition to increasing the amount of food produced, scientists enhance the nutritive content of crops by using biotechnology, which results in reducing malnutrition. Furthermore, some investigators claim the environmental importance of

Critics fear that continual use of chemicals could result in “super weeds” and “super bugs”.

16 million people in our world are currently suffering from undernourishment (FAO, 2012). What if there was a way to remedy this without the unnecessary deaths of masses of people? In the society we now live in, there is. Genetically Engineered Plants are more nutritious, less fatty, and contain fewer pesticides than naturally grown plants. Genetically Engineered Plants are the future of mankind and we, as society, should be advocating for the move towards making them the staple for everyone from proletariat to the bourgeoisie.

Welcome to the age of an agricultural revolution as everyday biotechnology continues to bring innovation to human’s most basic needs – food. Food is essential to any living organism, providing energy for our production and nutrients for our protection. Without this fundamental element, life cannot exist. Our lack to produce our own energy, like plants, causes us to become dependent on others for survival. Humans existence is attributed only to the million years of evolution our food source underwent to sustain our survival. Changing the primary nature of our food source, whether it is plant or animal, directs mankind in a dangerous future if our food dependency is permanently hampered. Welcome to the age of an agricultural devolution

The Introduction of Genetically modified organisms in farm lands also means the introduction of completely new species of organisms in the ecosystem. Therefore, using GMOs for agriculture may create unforeseen harm to the environment. Deontological concepts that considers preservation of the environment an ethical responsibility of all human beings will therefore, consider introducing in GM plant and animals in the ecosystem an immoral action. On the other hand, one can make a consequentialist argument that mentions that if GMOs help human beings sustain their lives then any possible harm to the environment should be worthwhile. Since from the perspective of consequentialism the happiness of human beings is the only thing that matters, in the context of environmental harm, the utilitarian ethical theory would support the use of GMOs.

Among the millions of species that inhabit the planet, only twenty species provide ninety percent of the human food supply (Montgomery 2000). Since the introduction of genetic engineering, however, livestock and crops have a more productive future. Transfer of engineered genes from organism to organism occurs through hybridization, conjugation, and transformation in microorganisms. By the substitution of genes into agricultural species, biodiversity can flourish to improve social and economic development. Although methods of gene and DNA implantation quickly develop advanced products, even precise genetic alterations do not ensure that the environment will remain balanced or that changes in

Over the years, new innovations, ideas, and emerging technologies have transformed our society and our daily lives. These new discoveries have not only been developed to help make our lives easier, but to also help us live longer and stronger lives. Living in a world that continues to evolve, creates opportunities for new innovations and breakthroughs to arise within our society. Genetic engineering is just one of many examples of the advancements that young, intelligent minds have developed throughout the years. Genetic engineering is defined as “isolating a desirable gene” and injecting it into a plant or organism to produce “a desired characteristic” (Nutrition & Weight Control for Longevity, 2005). This biological technology has provided many advancement opportunities “for several industrial sectors such as agriculture, food manufacture and pharmaceuticals” (Rastall, 2002). Along with everything else in life, genetic engineering has some upsides and downsides. Today I am going to discuss the positive and negative outcomes that genetic engineering is recognized for in the agricultural industry.

Genetically Modified insect resistant crops produce the toxic substances as a results it effect non-target organism and entire ecosystem. Biodiversity has significant role to balance environment as biodiversity decreases interaction between species decrease and ecosystem and food chain affect adversely. Some weeds are source of food for

The global as the market has been separated into transgenic crops, tools, and synthetic biology-enabled items based upon its functions and uses Demand for food manufacture has grown owing to large population resulting in the requirement of more food to fulfill the food needs of the world's people. This is a critical factor contributing towards the market growth.