Transcript Document
A General Biotech Overview NDSU Agriculture What is Biotechnology? How about some definitions General Definition The application of technology to improve a biological organism NDSU Detailed Definition The application of the technology to modify the biological function of an organism by adding genes from another organisms Agriculture Other Biotechnology Terms GMO’s Transgenics GMC’s GM’s HTC’s NDSU • • • • • Agriculture What are you concerned about when it comes to food safety? Packaging – 27% Food handling/preparation – 23% Other – 19% Disease/contamination – 16% Chemicals/pesticides in food – 10% Altered/engineered food – 2% Nothing – 9% NDSU • • • • • • • Agriculture Biotechnology that Transfers Genes is the Focus of Attention: • • • • Molecular markers for breeding DNA Sequencing a genomics Somatic cell and nuclear fusion Transgenetics or gene engineering ( GMO issue) NDSU Agriculture Agriculture Products On the Market Insect resistant cotton – Bt toxin kills the cotton boll worm Source: USDA Insect resistant corn – Bt toxin kills the European corn borer and root worm Transgenic NDSU Normal Agriculture Herbicide resistant crops Now: soybean, corn, canola Coming: sugarbeet, lettuce, strawberry alfalfa, potato, wheat Source: Monsanto Virus resistance - papya resistant to papaya ringspot virus NDSU Agriculture Rapid Adaptation – Biotech Crops in N. Dak. Soybean Corn Canola 62 % 30 % 70 % 4 years!!! NDSU Agriculture Soybean Untreated Biotech Herbicide Tolerant Source: National Center for Food and Agricultural Policy Leonard P. Gianessi, June 2002 NDSU National Impact: $1 billion/year lower herbicide costs Agriculture Soybean Weed Control: N.D. $/Acre Conventional Herbicide 27.65 Roundup Ready 15.90 NDSU Source: National Center for Food and Agricultural Policy Leonard P. Gianessi, June 2002 Agriculture Corn Untreated Biotech Herbicide Tolerant Source: National Center for Food and Agricultural Policy Leonard P. Gianessi, June 2002 NDSU National Impact: - 5.8 million Lbs./year pesticide use Agriculture North Dakota Field Corn: Biotech Herbicide Tolerant Acres 186,000 (20%) Herbicide Use -186,000 Lbs/year Herbicide Cost - $1.9 million/year NDSU Source: National Center for Food and Agricultural Policy Leonard P. Gianessi, June 2002 Agriculture Bt Corn Biotech Insect Resistant Insect Susceptible NDSU National Impact: + 3.5 billion Lbs./year production Source: National Center for Food and Agricultural Policy Leonard P. Gianessi, June 2002 Agriculture North Dakota: Bt Corn Adoption # of Acres 167,000 (18%) Production + 39 million Lbs. Value + $1.0 million/year Less Pesticides - 19,000 Lbs./year NDSU Source: National Center for Food and Agricultural Policy Leonard P. Gianessi, June 2002 Agriculture North Dakota Field Corn: Rootworms Acreage Treated 126,000(14%) Insecticide Use 154,000 Lbs./year NDSU Source: National Center for Food and Agricultural Policy Leonard P. Gianessi, June 2002 Agriculture Canola Biotech Herbicide Tolerant Conventional National Impact: - $11 million/year herbicide costs NDSU Source: National Center for Food and Agricultural Policy Leonard P. Gianessi, June 2002 Agriculture North Dakota: Canola Acreage 1.4 1.2 1.0 Acres (millions) 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 1989 1991 1993 1995 1997 1999 NDSU 0.0 1987 Agriculture There has never been a greater need for aggressive agricultural research. There has never been more promise of what research can accomplish. NDSU Agriculture Current Impacts (8 Biotech Crops) Food and Fiber Production + 4 Billion Lbs. Farm Income + $ 1.5 Billion Pesticide Use - - 46 Million Lbs. NDSU Source: National Center for Food and Agricultural Policy Leonard P. Gianessi, June 2002 Agriculture National Impacts: 40 Biotech Case Studies • Food and Fiber Production + 14 Billion Lbs. • Farm Income + $ 2.5 Billion • Pesticide Use –163 Million Lbs. Source: National Center for Food and Agricultural Policy - Leonard P. Gianessi, June 2002 NDSU • Agriculture Next Generation of Ag Biotech Products Golden Rice – increased Vitamin A content (but not without controversy) Sunflower – white mold resistance NDSU Source: Minnesota Microscopy Society Agriculture Turfgrass – herbicide resistance; slower growing (= reduced mowing) Bio Steel – spider silk expressed in goats; used to make soft-body bullet proof vests (Nexia) NDSU Agriculture Biotechnology is Not Just on the Farm Human Disease Treatment Diagnostics Environmental Cleanup Human Applications NDSU Agriculture Future Health-related Biotech Products Vaccines – herpes, hepatitis C, AIDS, malaria Tooth decay – engineered Streptococcus mutans, the bacteria that destroys enamel NDSU Agriculture Edible Vaccines Biotech Plants Serve Human Health Needs • A pathogen protein gene is cloned • Gene is inserted into the DNA of plant (potato, banana, tomato) • Humans eat the plant • The body produces antibodies against pathogen protein • Human are “immunized” against the pathogen • Examples: Diarrhea Hepatitis B Measles NDSU Agriculture Environmental Applications Bioremediation - cleanup contaminated sites; uses microbes designed to degrade the pollution Indicator bacteria – contamination can be detected in the environment NDSU Agriculture What Are the Ethical Concerns? Are we changing the economics on the farm? Are we irreversibly modifying the environment? Is technology becoming centralized in too few hands? Will we develop a class of genetic outcasts? Are we playing God? NDSU Agriculture Questions & Discussion NDSU Agriculture