New Uses of Biotechnology in Agriculture

Health risks have been a primary concern with GM crops.Innumerable concerns arebeing raised about the adverse effects genetically modified crops have on the health of people and animals alike.There is a growing body of evidence regarding these health risks,none of which have been disproved.

there has been sporadic studies conducted by scientists and findings are rather disturbing.

1. Impact on Internal organs and immune system.

2. Allergic reactions

3. Reproductive disorders

4. Threats to Infants and invalids....to name a few

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Transgenic technology can be utilized to develop plants with various beneficial traits such as

a) Crop protection traits which include resistance to pests, diseases and herbicides; b) Abiotic stress in the form of tolerance to drought, heat, cold or salinity, thus enabling plants to be grown in inhospitable habitats, adding more land for cultivation; and c) Quality traits leading to enhanced nutrition; prolonged shelf-life or improved taste, colour or fragrance of fruits, vegetables and flowers; and increased crop yield.

In INDIA also its application is raising gradually,viz;

Insect resistant brinjal,cabbage,cauliflower,chickpea,cotton maize,pigeon pea potato and many other crops,

Disease resistant Brinjal,Rice,Potato,Chickpea etc,

Herbicide Tolarent Blackgram,Cotton Mustard and rice

Stress tolerant Mustard and rice

Edible vaccine muskmelon ,tomato etc,

Nutrition enhancing mustard ,potato,and rice etc.

transgenics in crops is the most popularised trend in agriculture now a days . as the conditions of improving crop varities are geettin worsened by the uncertain rains n prices soring so high biotechnology can help to a greater extent

New developments allow farmers to address the challenges of producing food in less than adequate growing conditions with drought and flood-resistant crops, enabling agricultural production to withstand adverse growing conditions. Researchers recently tested cutting-edge biotech plants by subjecting them to drought conditions of 70% less water than normal. They survived with almost no loss in yield.

What we need is a new ‘Gene Revolution’ environmentally sustainable as well as yield-increasing. It should aim to reap benefits from genetic revolution based on cutting-edge works associated with biotic and abiotic stress, microarray, RNAi, genetic mapping, molecular markers, biotechnology, transformation techniques, plant tissue culture. Biotechnology is the tool that will allow us to produce more food on less land, with reduced depletion and damage to water resources and biodiversity.