/Source analysis task on Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) in Agriculture - Research Paper Example

Presently advanced crop technology is being assisted majorly by genetic engineering. Reference: Discovering Biology by Michael Meaney - Mentor Publications http://www.biology-online.org/dictionary/Genetic_engineering 2. What are some genetic engineering techniques used in agriculture? The simplest and natural technique of genetic engineering is cross breeding. It has been in practice since ancient times. Some of the modern techniques used in agriculture are as follows: The bacterium method: Plants naturally contain a transformation mechanism in the form of a bacterium.

In this mechanism the contact of this bacterium with a cell results in its integration into the chromosomes. Scientist exploit this natural tendency to create resistances like antibiotics. This is done by replacing the acting plasmid of bacterium with a marker gene. The gene gun method: This method does not depend on the natural working of bacterium. The DNA is introduced into the cell by DNA coated micro sized bullets. This method is used commonly since several years and its is found to be applicable over all species of crops virtually.

Over the last several years, use of the "gene gun" has become a very common method to transform plants, and has been shown to be applicable to virtually all species investigated. For example, transformation of rice by this method is now routine. This is a very important development as rice is the most important crop in the world in terms of the number of people critically dependent on it for a major part of their diet. The electroporation: In this method the DNA is introduced inside the cell through the holes punctured by a jolt of electricity in protoplasts.

This method is not very popular. Reference(s): http://photoscience.la.asu.edu/photosyn/courses/BIO_343/lecture/geneng.html. 3. What are some of the aims of using GMOs in agriculture? Some of the main aims of applying the GMOs in agriculture are increase in the volume of crops to fight the food crisis in the world (the high yielding genetically modified seeds are largely in use to serve the purpose), the improvement in the nutritional value of crops by introducing new genetically engineered varieties, curbing and reducing the use of pesticides by producing disease resistant safe crops.

Additional aims include the preservation of environment by saving the water supplies from pesticides and by allowing the beneficial biological growths. References: http://www.greenfacts.org/en/gmo/index.htm 4. What are some crops to which genetic engineering techniques have been applied and what techniques have been applied to these crops? The gene gun method has proved to be highly useful in generation of genetically improved corn and rice. The induced mutation or bacterium method greatly assists in the introduction and production of several genetically engineered crops like banana, sugar cane, barley and wheat etc.

There are 2300 officially released genetically engineered crop varieties listed in the database maintained by FAO/IAEA. References: http://www-infocris.iaea.org/MVD http://photoscience.la.asu.edu/photosyn/courses/BIO_343/lecture/geneng.html. 5. How widespread and economically important has the use of GMOs on agriculture been up to the present? GMOs are used extensively all around the world. Their widespread use can be assessed by the fact that the ‘