Biotechnology in agriculture - yields for tomorrow
People have been cultivating plants since the beginning of agriculture around 10,000 years ago: plants with the desired characteristics such as taste, yield and resistance were selected and propagated. In this way the crops that we know today arose over thousands of years. Indeed the classic cultivation methods are enormously time consuming. For example it took more than 100 years until sugar content could be increased to 20 percent by cultivating white beet into sugar beet. This is one reason why today’s so called green biotechnology increasingly supplements the classic cultivation methods.
- Photo: Kurt/pixelio.de
Rape seed was commercially grown in Canada in 1995 as the first genetically altered crop. Now there are genetically modified varieties of many crops for example soya beans, cotton or potatoes, which are grown in almost all parts of the world. Therefore there is a lot of experience internationally with the cultivation of these plants. The member states of the European Union however are for the most part cautious with the cultivation of genetically modified plants. On the one hand this can be attributed to the critical attitude of a large section of the public. On the other hand the state testing and authorisation mechanisms for cultivation are very strict; in order to eliminate the risks of cultivating genetically modified crops as much as possible.
In some EU countries the genetically modified Bt-Corn MON810 has been approved for agricultural use. The genetic information for a special protein from naturally occurring soil bacteria (Bacillus thuringiensis) was transferred to the corn using genetic engineering. This protein (Bt-Toxin) is completely non toxic for humans. It is however very effective against pests, like the European corn borer (Ostrinia nubilalis). This insect from Europe, which was also introduced into America in the twenties, is responsible for the largest crop failures. It is possible to fight it by using Bt-corn, which again helps to significantly limit the use of conventional plant protection products.
In this way US American farmers saved almost 32,000 tonnes of plant protection products in 2005 alone according to a study by the centre for nutrition and agricultural policy there. In Germany, the Bt-Corn’s licensing for cultivation was discontinued in 2009. At the same time the largest cultivation area for Bt-Corn by far was in Spain with 77,000 hectares, which grew around 17 percent of its total corn growing area with Bt-Corn.
In addition to corn, potatoes are also an important crop – not only as food, but also for the production of industrial starch. Potatoes produce two forms of starch, amylase and amylopectin. For certain applications, e.g. as raw material for foils, mainly the latter is required. Using genetic engineering, a potato has been generated that produces only amylopectin. In 2010 it was licensed for cultivation in the EU and is currently being cultivated in three EU member states on a small scale, including Germany.
Genetic engineering can also contribute to improved plant protection in the cultivation of potatoes: Due to a blight caused by fungus around 20 percent of the worldwide harvest is destroyed every year. With genetic engineering methods the resistance gene of a variety of wild potato from Mexico was transferred to a cultivated type of the potato. This new sort is likely to make an important contribution to securing the yield, as conventional treatment of the blight with fungicides (plant protection products against fungus) is time consuming, expensive and ineffective.
Securing yield is generally one of the most important reasons for using genetically optimised plants. Because while the world population is continuing to grow, according to expert opinion the area available for agricultural use cannot be extended in the future. Quite on the contrary it is assumed that the cities will continue to expand and the effects of climate change could lead to a loss of usable growing areas. Therefore a significantly higher agricultural yield is necessary while conserving resources at the same time. Lack of water and salinisation of the ground due to artificial irrigation are amongst the pressing problems in agriculture. By now around two thirds of the world wide water is used for this. In the future biotechnology can help to save water and preserve the ground. In Australia field tests have been carried out with various types of wheat since summer 2007, where the gene for resistance against dryness was transferred from corn, water cress, yeast and a type of leafy moss to the wheat. It is to be expected that some of the modified types of wheat are suitable for growing in very dry countries. In this way green biotechnology can make an important contribution for a secure future both in resource conservation and regarding yield increase.
Further information about genetic engineering - plants - environment
You can find information about current and completed biological safety research on genetically modified plants on the internet portal bioSicherheit.de. more
