Advantages And Disadvantages Of Biotechnology Biology Essay

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Bio engineering science Biology EssayThe objective purpose of this assignment is the, familiarization of the connection between the bioengineering and gardening bringing on the contribution of the biotechnology scholarship to agriculture. On the way to assess the specific contribution, citations of positives and negative cause be allocated as well as thoughts and worriers regarding the future of the standstill between biotechnology and agriculture.Ever since agriculture was developed, before 10 000 years (Sample et al .,2007), humans were attempting to invent juvenile crops as well as and parvenue techniques in order to make the output signal much more easy.Over the effort of the humanity to produce the best lineament products as possible and in more quantities, new technologies and techniques were introduced delivering agriculture for further development. rest on this piece of evidence it is a fact that most of the technological innovatio ns where integrated to the agricultural science over the last 200 years.(Krimsky et al.,1996). On this improvements of the agricultural science it is appropriate to include the fertilizers, the plant breeding , the mechanization of the procedure as well as the management of the plant enemies using plant protective cover products (e.g herbicides, pesticides, fungicides).(Krimsky et al., 1996)However the discovery of recombinant DNA back in the early seventies opened a new era in modern agriculture introducing biotechnology into the field ,allowing the scientists to develop novel ideas of innovations in food payoff.(). As biotechnology is defined according tothe figure on biologic Diversity, any technological useuses biological systems, living organisms or their derivatives piss or modify products for specific use (Convention onBiological Diversity, 1992).This definition includes medical and industrialapplications and tools and techniques used inagriculture and food production (F AO, 2004).Among the best knownapplications, is the cosmea of genetically limited foods, cloningthe sheep Dolly, the complete sequencing of the human genome and thedevelopments in stem cell research.Like all technologies, so theBiotechnology is associated with known and unknown risks and flagellums.That in itself is a food source for the media tothe production of stories that attract readers (Gaskell et al., 2003).Benefits that may occur with the usage of genetic special organisms had to do with several values that the humanity has set as priority objectives. Moreover the supporters of the agriculture biotechnology state that with the usage of GMOs the role of the sustainable environment is bounded due to the fact that the main home run is the reducing of the usage of pollutants such as pesticides and herbicides.An extra fact that is settled is that the population of the earth is about 6 billion and with the possibility that there is a continuous tr subvert for further increas e.Indicative, it is judge that over the next 50 years the worlds population will be doubled. With this fact, it is remarkable to declare that the humanity has to ensure that the quantities of food that will be produced ought to be adequate in order to feed the entire population of the earth. Perhaps this will be a huge challenge, whereas the agricultural sciences feed the great responsibility. Standing on these factors the supporters of genetically modified products, have highlighted a numeral benefits that may humanity obtain from their use.The Genetically Modified Organisms, in view of the fact that they have been introduced a gene from an new(prenominal) organism, they are able to acquire properties compared with the natural plants as they have the ability to confer resistance to heterogeneous biotic and abiotic factors such as resistance to various plant protection products from herbicide and pesticide as well assalinity drought conditions.With the most usual manner in conve ntional agriculture to protect the crops from pest bird louses to be spraying the plants with different chemical insecticides have a lot of bad consequences. Even if the use of chemical insecticides is prudential spray or forced the usual results of the non-rational usage of the chemical pesticides by farmers, lead to the fait accompli, which usual have to do with the huge ecological consequences. This method comprises negative effects on the environment and to the ecological balance.Apart from the harmful insects to crops, the chemical pesticides may destroy many other(a) species of insects which they might be make do as beneficial as well as natural enemies to the pests. The consequences result in a genuine ecological disruption. Furthermore, the excessive use of insecticides may create resistance of the insects so that to meet those needs is even what harmful. Additionally most chemical insecticides have toxic effects even for humans, with residues of pesticides that may poss ibly end up through food chains. On this aspect, biotechnology has given a very good solution deriving plants which have the power to react autonomously as bio insecticides. For this purpose, was isolated a gene from the soil bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis which tolerate encode a protein with a natural insecticide action.(Pentheroudakis).This protein is a -endotoxin and has toxic effects in an environment with pH 7,5 to 8,which can be observed in insects and not in the stomach of man.The certain bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis is used as a biological insecticide for many years, and is grown in bioreactors and then can be sprayed on crops in order the plants to have the appropriate protection from the pests.This solution is con inclinered environmentally friendly since it excludes the use of hazardous chemicals and pesticides and does not lead to adverse health and environmental (standards 1999, deMaagd 1999). But excessively apart from its fuction as a solution , it is also con sidered as non an economic solution since of the fact that Bacillus thuringiensis has a limit time of life and thats why it has have repeated sprays.(Penteroudakis) .Gene technology made possible the transformation of the particular gene which can produce the -endotoxin in plants enabling plants to be protected from the destructive action of certain insects such as Lepidoptera.There are several strains of Bacillus thuringiensis and each strain produces a different toxin, which acts in a particular species of insects (Estruch et al, 1996).This ensures the plants resistance to certain insect species by introducing a particular gene (the genes are called genes Bt). One of the applications of Bt producing plants is to resist the European corn borer, which is the main enemy pest of the U.S. corn crop and also responsible for damages cost $1 billion annually (Huang et al, 1999). According to the company Monsanto, the production of transgenic Bt crops reduce the use of chemical pesticides by 1 one million million million litters per year.The nematode worms, as soil organisms can cause serious damages to the crops. Parasitic nematodes can create serious trouble at a blanket(a) diversity of plants and are responsible for significant crop losses.Also the eggs survive in the soil under adverse conditions for many years.Another involvement that has to be c oncern is that it is extremely difficult to militate with parasitic nematodes particularly after the withdrawal of methyl bromide.With the contribution of biotechnology scientists found that various plants are repelling to nematode worms.For the resistance of certain genes are responsible which have been isolated.An example is the gene Gro1 potato, which confers resistance to Globodera rostochiensis.This has opened the way for the possible gate of these genes into crops to reference the challenge of the filamentary.(Jung et al,1998)Crop plants genetically modified to withstand verypowerful and wide used herbicide s, can helpto reduce environmental impact of the far-flung useherbicides.One example is the creation of GM soya from the company Monsanto, which is not affected by the herbicide Roundup , product of the same company(http//www.monsanto.com/monsanto/ag_products/input_traits/products/ spellup_ready_ sojas.asp). The resistance of plants against viral diseases,fungi and bacteria will improve the performance of the fields.The company Monsanto released on the market in 1996, the genetically modified soybean, which is resistant to the widely used herbicide Roundup.The genetically modified soybean was introduced the bacterial gene CP4-EPSPS that produces an enzyme resistant to the action of the herbicide.The Roundup suppresses the activity of natural plant EPSPS enzyme and destroy the plants.Genetically modified plants, however, producing a resistant enzyme is not affected by the action of Roundup.The genetically modified soya has caused a storm of reactions in Europe.Soybeans are particular ly essential because its derivatives are used in many processed foods such as soya lecithin used in the production of chocolates and baking.In 1998 one third of inwardness U.S. soybean crop was genetically modified, while in 1999 more than half Mitten et al, 1999.Another possible benefit of the usage of biotechnology in agriculture, is the possible creation in the future of seeds resistant to cold (theintroduction of the gene of antifreeze protein from fishAntarctica), in salinity or drought, which will allowcrop plants in soils unfriendly to date indicative (Zhang andBlumwald, 2001).And the contribution of biotechnology does not stop here .It is possible the creation in the future, seeds and crops with highnutritional value (Ye et al., 2000) which will allow for better nutritionchildren in the Third World.One good paradigm to support this Almost half the worlds population eats rice (Oryza sativa L.), at least once a day(IRRI undated). Rice is the staple food among the worlds poo r, especially in Asia and partsof Africa and South America. It is the primary source of energy and nutrition for millions.Thus, improving the nutritional quality of rice could potentially improve the nutritionalstatus of nearly half the worlds population, particularly its children. Commodity ricecontains about 7% protein, but some varieties, notably black rice, contain as much as 8.5%(Food and Agriculture Organization 2004). The most limiting amino acid in rice is lysine.Efforts to increase the nutritional value of rice target protein content and quality alongwith key nutrients often deficient in rice-eating populations, such as vitamin A and iron.The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Philippines, is a primary center for riceresearch and development of improved varieties.In 1999, Dr. Momma and colleagues at Kyoto University, Japan, reported a geneticallyengineered rice having about 20% greater protein content compared with tick off rice (Momma et al. 1999). Transgenic p lants containing a soybean gene for the protein glycinin contained 8.0% protein and an improved essential amino acid profile compared with 6.5%protein in the control rice.Also the production potential in the future of edible vaccines and drugsin potatoes and tomatoes (Daniell et al., 2001).Plants such as poplar, can the genetic modification toused for phytoremediation contaminated by heavy metals in soils (Rugh, 2004).Apart from the advantages that biotechnology can donate to the agriculture sciences there are and a lot of factors that as scientists and as consumers we have to be aware. There are ethical factors and other parameters that have to mostly with the environmental subjects that have to be in mind. Nearly all have expressed their concern about GM food and the possible effects on health and safety of humans inenvironment, economic situation of farmers and the poor of the worldmaking agriculture one of the few, powerful companies environmentalactivist organizations (such as Greenpeace, the Network against GMOs,the GMWatch), religious organizations, citizens groups sensitized(such as the Organic Consumer Association), researchers and scientists (such asETCgroup, the Institute of Science in Society, by The American Society ofenvironmental Medicine, the Union of Concerned Scientists).Experiments and studieshave identified a number of risks associated with the use of GM foods. environmental hazardsthat they might derived is firstly the challenge of unintended harm to other species. As an example of thislaboratory studies haveshown that pollen from B.t.GM corn caused high ratesof mortality in the larvae of the Monarch butterfly. (Losey etal., 1999)The possible reduction of biodiversity, is another threat of the GM crops against the environment.The widespread use of GM crops maylead to reduced biodiversity in neighboring cropsGM ecosystem.Because GM products are likely to have competitory advantage over its natural indefensible varieties of plants,the latte r may not be able to survive with its attendantreduction or extinction of wild varieties (Conner et al., 2003, Vacher etal., 2004).The GM crops can be fatal for othersorganizations that share the ecosystem, as species of birds(Watkinson et al., 2000).The Horizontal gene transfer is another thing that worries the scientific world regarding the usage of GMOs. The introduction of exotic species into newenvironments can cause extensive and irreversibledestruction through the horizontal transfer of genes, transportie genes among related organisms, and microbes in ormammalian cells (unlike the vertical transmission is the transfergenes from one generation to the next).The transfer and integrationthese genes would result in genetic modificationagencies beyond the estimates of researchers.Such transferscan lead egto create super weeds (literatureReview Ho and Cummnis, 2008).General health problems in animals is another think that we have to be aware. A variety of studies in animals suggest thatconsumption of GM foods can cause serious health problemssuch as infertility, hormonal dysfunction, accelerated aging,dysfunction of genes associated with cholesterol synthesis,problems in the regulation of insulin, cell labeling andprotein synthesis and changes in the structure of the liver, kidney, spleenand gastrointestinal (Ewen and Pustzai, 1999, Finamore et al.,2008, Malatesta et al., 2008, Kilik and Akay, 2008, Kroghsbo et al., 2008).Another object that we have to have in mind is allergies, which is the biggest, so far, side effects of GM foods and is likely to increase the incidence of dangerousallergies.Many people and especially children are allergic to edibleplants such as peanuts, an allergic reaction which can leaddeath because of some proteins produced by them.Projectsto increase the nutritional value of soybeans in the introduction togenome of a gene from the Brazilian peanut abandonwhen research showed that the transgenic soy can promote allergicreactions to peo ple predisposed (Nordlee et al., 1996).Thereevidence that the genetically modified plant products areeven high allergenic potential than conventional plants.Several studies have been reported in the literature, suggesting thatthe process of genetic modification may increase the allergenpotential of plants.For example, levels of inhibitortrypsin-allergenic agent of soybean are 27% higherin GM soy.Also, the Bt toxin in GM corn maytrigger allergic immune response since it containssequences that match EN identified allergens(literature review Smith, 2007).Scandal had causedcase of Bt corn Starlink of Aventis, whichgrown in the U.S. from 1998 to feed and industrialpurposes and not for human consumption because of concerns ofscientific staff of the U.S. EnvironmentalProtection that can cause allergic reactions.In 2000,modified corn Starlink s put into tacos andanother 300 food products containing corn in various parts ofworld, making visible the gaps that existed in the management of possiblerisks from the use of GM (Bucchini and Goldman, 2002).Finally A key argument of the proponents of GM crops, largeproduction and distribution companies modified seeds and lionscientists, is the largest agricultural performance of biotechnologycrops, an argument which appears to be rebutted by the recent.Research the Union of Concerned Scientists in which geneticallymodified crops ultimately enhance the appearance of resistantherbicides weeds thus reducing the production and leading to smallercrops (Gurian-Sherman, 2009).In addition, as mentioned previously, the GM seed abject is patented and in future will also be sterilizedcausing billions of poor farmers to buy expensive seeds eachtime with disastrous results (Whitman, 2000).The application of genetic engineering resulted in the creation of genetically modified organisms resistant pathogens.This became possible to transfer resistance genes, especially with the help of Ti plasmid of genus Agrobacterium tumefasiens, in crop p lants of great economic importance, such as corn, soybeans, cotton, tobacco, oilseed k.al.The most commonly used gene is the Bt gene coding for the production of a toxin able to counteract the harmful insects on crops.The isolation of the gene from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis and the introduction of a plant species resulted in the creation of a handsome class of transgenic plants resistant to attacks of insects, Bt plants.The cultivation of Bt plants have the advantage of avoiding the use of chemical pesticides, which contain toxic and hazardous substances.It is also important to create GM plants resistant to nematodes and herbicides, particularly in widely-used herbicide Roundup.The cultivation of transgenic plants but can cause various environmental problems.This is the transfer of genes to plants or weeds through pollen and thus creating heat-parasites, prevalence through natural selection of resistant strains of insects to the toxin Bt, the unexpected effect of Bt ins ect toxin safe for agriculture and the possible abusethe creation of herbicide-resistant plants on them.There is no doubt that the establishment and cultivation of genetically modified plants will not only continue but probably will in future perplex the dominant form of farming.The attitude of scientists, especially those related to environmental protection, towards GMOs should be responsible and critical.The new research data, the largest observation time, economics and the comparison of the potential risks with the ternary benefits will help shape a scientifically informed view on the impact of GMOs into the environment.