Transcript Agricultural Biotechnology

Agricultural Biotechnology
Introduction
 Agricultural
biotechnology includes a
range of tools that
scientists employ to
understand and
manipulate the genetic
make-up of organisms
for use in the production
or processing of
agricultural products.
Why is agricultural biotechnology
important?
 In a world where 800
million people, living
mostly in rural areas, go
hungry every day, food
demand is set to double in
the next thirty years and
arable land is limited,
advances in agriculture are
critical if we are to reduce
hunger and promote
growth and development
in a socially acceptable and
environmentally
sustainable way.
Current Areas of Research
1) Crop Improvement Research
 Very rudimentary
biotechnology.
 “Artificial Selection”
 Based on basic Mendelian
genetics where two plant types
of the same species are crossed
to produced a better plant
type.
 Example: Crossing a plant that
has a high tolerance to disease
with a plant that has a high
fruit yield gives you a disease
resistant plant with a high fruit
yield.
2) Creating Gene Banks
 A gene bank is large holding of plant types with their
given traits and now with the genes for these traits
genetically marked.
 Crop scientists can now select a variety known to hold
a specific characteristic, mark the gene responsible for
the trait and cross it with another variety known to
hold a second desirable characteristic.
 These techniques are simply traditional breeding
techniques made more efficient by new information
about genes and new technologies.
3) Genetic Modification
 Inserted genes from
other species into
plants/animals in order
to increase yields or
protect against pests or
environmental
conditions.
 They are tested to ensure
no adverse
environmental or health
effects.
Examples of Agricultural Biotechnology
1) Induced Mutation Assisted
Breeding (IMAB)
 Mutations are the cause of
“better” varieties of plants.
 In the 1970s, the
International Atomic
Energy Agency (IAEA) and
the Food and Agriculture
Organization of the United
Nations (FAO) decided that
it would be a good idea to
speed the process along.
1) Induced Mutation Assisted
Breeding (IMAB)
 They subjected many plant
varieties to mutagenic agents
(like radiation) to induce
mutations and then selected for
the desired “new” traits that
appeared.
 IMAB has resulted in the
introduction of new varieties of
many crops such as rice, wheat,
barley, apples, citrus fruits,
sugar cane and banana.
 The only drawback is ensuring
the mutagenic agent is not
passed into the food item.
2) Micropropagation
 Micropropagation involves
taking small sections of plant
tissue, or entire structures such
as buds, and culturing them
under artificial conditions to
regenerate complete plants.
 Micropropagation is
particularly useful for
maintaining valuable plants,
breeding otherwise difficult-tobreed species (e.g. many trees),
speeding up plant breeding and
providing abundant plant
material for research.
2) Micropropagation of Bananas in
Kenya
 Micropropagation represents a means of regenerating disease




free banana plantlets from healthy tissue.
In Kenya, banana shoot tips have been successfully tissuecultured.
An original shoot tip is heat-treated to destroy infective
organisms and then used through many cycles of regeneration to
produce daughter plants.
A single section of tissue can be used to produce as many as 1 500
new plants through ten cycles of regeneration.
Micropropagation of banana has had a tremendous impact in
Kenya, among many other countries, contributing to improved
food security and income generation.
It has all the advantages of being a relatively cheap and easily
applied technology and one that brings significant
environmental benefits.
3) Genetic Engineering
 There are three levels of genetic engineering:
a) Close transfer: taking a gene from one plant species
and inserting it into another plant species (same
kingdom)
b) Distant transfer: taking a gene from one species and
inserting it into another species from a different
kingdom (i.e. bacterium gene into a plant)
c) “Tweaking”: the genes already present in the
organism are “tweaked” to change the level at which
a particular protein is made
 All of the above would create a GMO.
3) Genetic Engineering Example:
The Protato
 Researchers at Jawaharlal Nehru University in India have developed a genetically






engineered potato that produces about one-third to one-half more protein than
usual, including substantial amounts of all the essential amino acids.
Protein deficiency is widespread in India and potato is the staple food of the
poorest people.
The “protato” was developed by a coalition of Indian charities, scientists,
government institutes and industry as part of a 15-year campaign against
childhood mortality.
The campaign aims to eliminate childhood mortality by providing children with
clean water, better food and vaccines.
The protato includes a gene from the amaranth plant, a high-protein grain that
is native to South America and widely sold in Western health-food stores.
The protato has passed preliminary field trials and tests for allergens and toxins.
Final approval from the Indian Government is probably at least five years away.
4) Artificial insemination (AI) and
multiple ovulation/embryo transfer
(MOET)
 These processes have aided the
global diversity and strength of
livestock.
 AI is the transfer of sperm and
MOET is the transfer of ova or a
fertilized embryo from an
animal in one part of the world,
to an animal in another part of
the world.
 The drawback is the need for a
well organized and funded farm
to do this.
Food Biotechnology
Introduction
 Food biotechnology is the application of technology to
modify genes of animals, plants, and microorganisms to
create new species which have desired production,
marketing, or nutrition related properties.
 Called genetically engineered (GE) or genetically
modified (GM) foods, they are a source of an unresolved
controversy over the uncertainty of their long-term
effects on humans and food chains.
 Nicknamed “Frankenfoods” by anti-GM food groups.
Why genetically modify food? Here are some examples:
1) Extended Shelf Life
 The first steps in genetic
modification were for
food producers to ensure
larger profits by keeping
food fresher, longer.
 This allowed for further
travel to and longer
availability at markets,
etc…
Extended Shelf Life Milk
Example: Long Shelf Tomatoes
 These genetically modified tomatoes
promise less waste and higher profits.
 Typically, tomatoes produce a protein
that softens them after they have been
picked.
 Scientists can now introduce a gene
into a tomato plant that blocks
synthesis of the softening protein.
 Without this protein, the genetically
altered tomato softens more slowly
than a regular tomato, enabling
farmers to harvest it at its most
flavorful and nutritious vine-ripe stage.
2) Efficient Food Processing
 By genetically modifying
food producing
organisms, the wait time
and quantity of certain
food processing
necessities are
optimized.
 Again this is a money
saver.
Although efficient, this type of food
processing is not an example of
biotechnology.
Example: Rennin Production
 The protein rennin is used to
coagulate milk in the
production of cheese.
 Rennin has traditionally been
made in the stomachs of calves
which is a costly process.
 Now scientists can insert a copy
of the rennin gene into bacteria
and then use bacterial cultures
to mass produce rennin.
 This saves time, money, space
and animals.
Rennin in the top test tube… not
there in the bottom one.
3) Better Nutrient Composition
 Some plants, during processing,
lose some of the vital nutrients
they once possessed.
 Others are grown in nutrient
poor areas.
 Both these problems can be
solved by introducing genes into
plants to increase the amount or
potency of nutrients.
 “Biofortification”
Example: Golden Rice
 Scientists have engineered "golden rice",
which has received genes from a daffodil
and a bacterium that enable it to make
beta-carotene.
 This offers some promise in helping to
correct a worldwide Vitamin A deficiency.
4) Efficient Drug Delivery
 Inserting genes into
plants/animals to
produce essential
medicine or
vaccines.
 “Biopharming”
Potential Problems???
 With every technology
there is an associated
risk involved.
 The following are some
examples of potential
problems associated
with food biotechnology.
1) Creating “Superbugs”
 Since many of the “vectors”
used to introduce genes to
plants and animals are
bacteria and viruses, it is
realistic to think there is a
chance they could undergo a
mutation and prove harmful
or become recombinant like
the H1N1 virus and thus more
virulent.
 However, the bacteria and
viruses used in these
procedures are usually nonpathogenic.
Viruses
Bacteria
2) Negative Affects on Human
Health
 Most of these food products
undergo testing to see if any
adverse health effects occur.
 However, allergies were not
thought of in one case where
a gene from a brazil nut was
transferred to soy bean
plants!
 Thankfully a food product
was not pursued as someone
came to their senses!
 Important to note that not all
genes from a potential
allergenic food will cause an
allergy.
3) Ethics
 How many human genes
would an organism have to
have before you consider it
human???
 The following food types
have a variety with human
genes added: rice
(immune system genes
that prevent diarrhea),
baby food (lactoferrin and
lysozyme) and any farm
animal (Human growth
hormone).