Agricultural biotechnology 

    An unlimited supply of crops?  A higher nutritional value for crops?  You may be thinking that's impossible with the limited amount of farmland and natural resources.  But, by creating synthetic crops via genetic engineering it is not only possible, but has already happened..  Agricultural Biotechnology has more than one positive effect.  The productivity of crops increases by reducing the costs or production by decreasing the needs for inputs of pesticides.  New strains of plants are developed that give higher yields with fewer inputs, can be grown in a wider range of environments, give better rotations to conserve natural resources, provide more nutritious harvested products that keep much longer in storage and transport, and continue low cost food supplies to consumers.
    The new varieties of crops that are produced by way of genetic engineering are generally resistant to insects and herbicides and generally have delayed fruit ripening.  These transgenic crops have better weed and insect control, higher productivity, and more flexible crop management.  Although these are benefits for the farmers and agribusinesses, there are also economic benefits to the environment and the community because of the decreased use of pesticides, which contribute to a more sustainable agriculture and better food security.
    Foods that are grown from genetically modified crop varieties, sometimes called GM foods, also have direct benefits for humans.  For example, GM foods that have a higher content of digestible iron can have a positive health effect on those individuals who are iron-deficient.  Advances in biotechnology will probably result in crops with an improved nutritional quality.  These crops could be very beneficial to the many people who suffer from malnutrition or deficiency disorders.  A gene with beta carotene/vitamin A information has been implanted experimentally into rice, which would help the millions of children who suffer from vitamin A deficiency.  Genes have been found that can change and improve the composition of oils, proteins, carbohydrates, and starch in food/feedgrains and root crops.
 
 

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Created as part of a term project for SCEN103 at the University of Delaware  Comments, suggestions, or requests to aliz@udel.edu "http://www.udel.edu/physics/scen103/CGZ/agriculture.html"  Last updated May 11, 2000.  Copyright Jen Franchino, Vinnie Verruto, Allison Zuckerbrow,  Jeff May, Univ. of Delaware, 2000