do you think that mendela work influences the agriculture industries ? why?
Answers
Answer:
Explanation:
We support smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia because we believe doing so can help them create a better life for their families
The applications of genetic engineering through recombinant DNA technology increased with time, and the first small scale field trials of genetically engineered plant varieties were planted and in the USA and Canada in 1990, followed by the first commercial release of genetically engineered crops in 1992. Since that time, adoption of genetic engineered plants by farmers has increased annually. While the benefits of genetically engineered crop varieties have been widely recognized, there has been extensive opposition to this technology, from environmental perspectives, because of ethics considerations, and people concerned with corporate control of crop varieties.
Comparing Classical Breeding and Crop Breeding Through Genetic Engineering
Crops produced through genetic engineering are sometimes referred to as genetically modified organisms. The term genetic modification, and so-called genetically modified organisms (GMOs) is frequently misused. All types (organic, conventional) of agriculture modify the genes of plants so that they will have desirable traits. The difference is that traditional forms of breeding change the plant's genetics indirectly by selecting plants with specific traits, while genetic engineering changes the traits by making changes directly to the DNA. In traditional breeding, crosses are made in a relatively uncontrolled manner. The breeder chooses the parents to cross, but at the genetic level, the results are unpredictable. DNA from the parents recombines randomly. In contrast, genetic engineering permits highly targeted transfer of genes, quick and efficient tracking of genes in new varieties, and ultimately increased efficiency in developing new crop varieties with new and desirable traits.
Conclusions: Technology, Progress, Opposition, and Risk Assessment
Many different tools are available for increasing and improving agricultural production. These tools include methods to develop new varieties such as classical breeding and biotechnology. Traditional agricultural approaches are experiencing some resurgence today, with renewed interest in organic agriculture; an approach that does not embrace the use of genetically engineered crops. The role that genetic engineering stands to play in sustainable agricultural development is an interesting topic for the future.
As with the development of any new technology there are concerns about associated risks, and agricultural biotechnology is no exception. All crops developed using genetic engineering are subjected to extensive safety testing before being released for commercial use. Risk assessments are conducted for these new varieties, and only those that are safe for human use are released. Some concerns arise through people not fully understanding the reporting of risk. Many consider any level of risk unacceptable. Some prefer the application of the precautionary principle when releasing new technology, but this is not a realistic interpretation of what risk assessments tell us (See information presented by Land Grant Universities of the USA).
Extensive risk assessment and safety testing of crops developed through the use of genetic engineering has shown that there are no varieties in use that pose risks to consumers. This is not to say that new varieties should not be carefully examined for safety; each case should be considered on its unique merits.
References and Recommended Reading
American Association for the Advancement of Science. Annual meeting (2011). (link)
Land Grant Universities (2011). (link)
NERC. Can GM crops harm the environment? (2011). (link)
McLintock, B. The origin and behavior of mutable loci in maize. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 36, 344–355 (1950).
Pray, L. A. Discovery of DNA structure and function: Watson and Crick. Nature Education Knowledge 1, (2008). (link)
Thorpe, T. A. History of plant tissue culture. Molecular Biotechnology 37, 169–180 (2007).
Watson, J. D. et al. Recombinant DNA, 2nd ed. New York, NY: W. H. Freeman, 1992.