Genetic Engineering in Agriculture Essay Example For Students

Genetic Engineering in Agriculture Essay Among the millions of species that inhabit the planet, only twenty species provide ninety percent of the human food supply (Montgomery 2000). Since the introduction of genetic engineering, however, livestock and crops have a more productive future. Transfer of engineered genes from organism to organism occurs through hybridization, conjugation, and transformation in microorganisms. By the substitution of genes into agricultural species, biodiversity can flourish to improve social and economic development. Although methods of gene and DNA implantation quickly develop advanced products, even precise genetic alterations do not ensure that the environment will remain balanced or that changes in the genome will not occur. With careful design and a good understanding of transgenic organisms, minimal ecological and social risks will occur with the development of genetically engineered organisms. To improve methods of plant breeding, farmers turn to the hybridization of genes. New genes from wild species are transferred into cultivated varieties of similar crops to attain desired traits. Specific properties such as disease resistance, stress tolerance, and nutritional qualities are advantageous to the farmer because more time is spent on cultivation rather than outside interferences. However, crossbreeding results in mass amounts of genes transferring to the plant recipient, only a few of which are desired. Thus, only sexually compatible species of the crop can be used to breed (Horsch 1993). Farmers using crossbreeding and hybridizing methods are able to attain improved products, but could cause great damage to the genome in the transfer of unknown, undesired genes (Geweke 1999). In more recent biotechnology, breeders are turning to genetic transformation as a more precise method of genetic engineering. Instead of transferring large blocks of genes from donor plant to recipient, small isolated blocks of genes are put into the plant chromosome through biolistics, vectors, or protoplast transformation (Horsch 1993). Biolistics is a technique that shoots the gene block into the potential host cell. In order for the process to succeed, the microscopic particles and DNA must enter the cell nuclei and combine with the plant chromosome. Biolistics is commonly used but has a slight failure risk since the breeder has little control over the destination of the gene block (Mooney Bernardi 1990). Bacteria or viruses can also carry the gene blocks into a new cell. Common vectors in gene transfer between plants are Agrobacterium tumefaciens and Agrobacterium rhizogenes. In the soil, the bacteria will infect the plants with their own plasmid, transferring the desired gene that was placed in the bacterias DNA. Vector gene transfer is a preferred method of transformation since this modification already occurs naturally in the environment (Rudolph McIntire 1996). Last is protoplast transformation, which uses enzymes to dissolve the cellulose in the plant wall that leaves a protoplast. Once a specific gene block is added to the protoplast, the cell wall will re-grow into a transgenic plant. Direct manipulation of DNA focuses on selective breeding, altering organisms to achieve higher quality products and more of them. These improved crop modifications center either on agronomic traits or quality traits (Nielsen 1999). Reductions of herbicides, insecticides, and water usage are some effects of replacing plants with desired properties. Farmers choose these agronomic traits to reduce their costs of poisons and water, therefore increasing profitability. Quality traits focus more on the consumer of the product. By improving product characteristics such as phenotype, nutritional value, and preservation, consumers will benefit. In return, agricultural industries will be able to sell products at a higher price and increase their profit in the near future. Beneficial crop modification through agronomical trait selection Transgenic organisms can be designed to minimize the chance of environmental risks. The agronomic traits that farmers select for crops improve the control of pest insects, plant pathogens, weeds, and water. The main toxin used for insect pest control is a gene from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). By inserting the Bt virus, crops have an internal resistance to insects and pests, which allows the farmer to decrease insecticide sprays. Agrochemicals serve as a good protection against insects, but are not as ecologically sound as gene transformation since outside plants and trees can be accidentally sprayed (Horsch 1993). Why We Should Stop Animal Testing EssayAnother social issue that is greatly debated is the public acceptance of genetically modified organisms. As with any new technology, people are naturally cautious about change. To examine the scientific issues and data needed to assure safety of food products by genetic modification, the food industry formed the International Food Biotechnology Council. Even though transgenic plants have not yet made booming achievements in the market place, safety assessment is still being conducted. In order to appease people’s concerns over food production, consumers must be able to choose whether or not to purchase the genetically modified product. This requires complete and reliable information as to whether food products consist of modified organisms or have been produced using genetic engineering techniques. Labeling requirements should be regulated and the USDA must approve products being put on the market. As for ethical issues, views ranging from extreme to rational sweep the minds of people. On the extreme side, some people are concerned with the issue of cannibalism when using human gene copies. Does eating a cow with transferred human genes make me a cannibal? From any direction one looks at this question, the answer is no. If a consumer eats a tomato with a corn gene in the chromosome, she is still eating a tomato that looks and tastes like a tomato. However, so many genes can be used for genetic transfer that using human genes is not really necessary. Another question on consumer minds is are we playing God? Some can argue yes because natural selection and evolution should occur without the interference of humans.However, genetic engineering in agriculture can also be considered another form of natural selection, just speeded up. Technological advances in history have allowed humans to produce complex machines and life saving vaccines. Most people have accepted the wide use of co mputers and rely on vaccines for disease resistance. Eventually, people will be able to understand that biotechnology is not a matter of playing God, but improving human and environmental life through the careful application of new scientific knowledge. Vegetarians have also voiced opinions on altering plant genes. When animal DNA is used in developing genetically modified crops, products can be considered not purely vegetarian. With appropriate labeling, vegetarians can make their own personal choice of whether or not to consume genetically modified crops. Economic concerns are few to none in the consideration of genetic engineering in agriculture. Since herbicide-resistant crops reduce the amount of herbicides used, farmers will be spending less money on them. With insect-resistant crops, less money spent on pesticides and chemicals create a greater profit for the farmer. Food production will also be greatly increased since genetically modified food can be produced much faster tha n normal developing rates of natural harvests. This means that food industries can put higher quality food of higher quantity on the market. Most engineered organisms will probably pose minimal ecological risk. Many genetically engineered organisms will be modified, domesticated species living under controlled agricultural conditions. Although domesticated animals sometimes establish untamed populations, most crop plants cannot easily be converted into organisms that can survive and reproduce without human support. However, in cases where an organism may persist without human intervention or when a genetic exchange is made between a transformed organism and an unaltered organism, an assessment of environmental risk is required. This ecological oversight should be directed at promoting effectiveness while guarding against potential problems. Different organisms, traits, and environments present different adverse effects, making it difficult to establish regulation of transgenic organ isms. Ecological knowledge, however, should be useful in developing regulatory policy and recognizing the degree of risk associated with different attributes of engineered traits, organisms, and environments. With small controlled field testing, categorization of genetically produced organisms, strictly enforced regulatory policies, and consistency of regulation, ecological risks should be easy to control and keep at a minimal level. Transgenic organisms themselves can also be designed to reduce the chance of environmental perturbations. The choice of the trait and parent organism used, the form of the genetic alteration, and the control of spread is focused on to prevent the likelihood of undesirable effects. In addition, the conditions of the organism’s introduction can be planned to minimize potential problems. Genetic engineering technology holds exceptional promise for improving agricultural production and keeping it environmentally sound. Potential benefits include high er productivity of crops and livestock, increased pest control and reduced pesticide use, reduced fertilizer use, and improved conservation of soil and water resources. Along with the potential benefits for agriculture come some risks. The release and regulation of genetically engineered organisms into the environment could cause devastating results.The loss of naturally wild flora and fauna, insect resistance to genetic pesticides, â€Å"super weed† growth, development of new plant pathogens, and potential slowing of biodiversity. Therefore, time and effort must be devoted to laboratory and field-testing before the release of genetically engineered organisms. Without caution and suitable regulation, environmental problems are likely to arise and the expected benefits of genetic engineering are likely to be jeopardized. But with careful design and a good understanding of transgenic organisms, genetic engineering in agriculture will push our society closer to a balanced agro-e cological system, allowing biodiversity to flourish and improving social and economic development. Bibliography:Altieri, M. (1998). The environmental risk of Transgenic Crops: an agroecological assessment (research paper). California: Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, University of California at Berkeley. Brooks, R.A. Maes, P. (Eds.). (1996). Artificial Life IV. Cambridge, Massachusetts: MIT Press. Geweke, J.F. et al. (Eds.). (1999). Sowing seeds of Change. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press. Ginzburg, L.R. (Ed.). (1991). Assessing ecological risks of Biotechnology. Boston, Massachusetts: Butterworth-Heinmann. Horsch, R.B. (1993, November 29). The production and uses of Genetically Transformed Plants. Philosophical Transactions: Biological Sciences, 342, (pp. 287-291). 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