preview

Persuasive Essay On Genetically Modified Crops

Decent Essays

World population projections currently expect another 2 billion people in the world by 2050, and simultaneously, there isn’t expected to be any measurable change in the quantity of arable land to match this level of growth. Already, the United Nations is grappling with the realities of a global food shortage crisis, meaning that, even without the next 2 billion people added to the global population, world leaders are struggling to feed the mouths we presently have. Experts are turning everywhere for solutions, including the already realized prospect of genetically modified (GM) crops that are uniquely resistant to pesticides, harsh winters and other threats as a means to create more food sources and consolidate them. GM crops are only …show more content…

Essentially, crops are raised in a glasshouse under incessant, low-cost LEDs whose light is emitted at very specific wavelengths to catalyze photosynthesis. “The far-red spectrum is important for triggering the reproductive growth and also light intensity for healthy robust plants,” according to Lee Hickey, a senior research fellow at the University of Queensland and a co-author on the new study. “In the glasshouse, we currently use high-pressure sodium vapor lamps, and these are quite expensive in terms of the electricity demand,” Hickey explains. “In our paper, we demonstrate that wheat and barley populations can be grown at a density of about 900 plants per square meter, thus in combination with LED light systems, this presents an exciting opportunity to scale up the operation for industry use.” This comes on the heels of a fairly significant panel report from Parliament in India coming out against genetically modified crops. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science and Technology, Environment and Forests in New Delhi concluded that no GM crops should be brought into the country without thorough evaluation of the probable effects. The committee suggested that the government conduct this evaluation in collaboration with several pertinent agencies,

Get Access