Plant breeding is a common operation done by people in the agricultural field. It is the science of changing the traits of plants in order to produce desired characteristics. It is the process developing new plant varieties that goes by various names including ¨cultivar development, crop improvement, and seed improvement¨ (plantbreeding.org, n.d.). Breeding involves the creation of multi-generation genetically diverse populations on which human selection is practiced to create adapted plants with new combinations of specific desirable traits. The selection process is driven by ¨biological assessment in relevant target environments and knowledge of genes and genomes¨ (plantbreeding.org, n.d.). Progress is assessed based on gain under selection, …show more content…
Without that, it would be pointless. There are requirements for doing that, though. Cross-pollination is usually necessary to develop new varieties. Once the trait that is desired is fixed, that is, the plant, when self-pollinated, breeds true for the trait, then all you have to do to continue obtaining that trait is to self the plant and its offspring. Sometimes a trait cannot be fixed and many plants may have to be grown in order to produce a few showing the desired trait. Plant breeding can be accomplished through many different techniques ranging from simply selecting plants with desirable characteristics for propagation, to methods that make use of knowledge of genetics and chromosomes, to more complex molecular techniques. Genes in a plant are what determine what type of qualitative or quantitative traits it will have. Plant breeders strive to create a specific outcome of plants and potentially new plant …show more content…
For future agriculture to thrive there are necessary changes which must be made in accordance to arising global issues. These issues are arable land, harsh cropping conditions and food security which involves, being able to provide the world population with food containing sufficient nutrients. “These crops need to be able to mature in several environments allowing for worldwide access, this is involves issues such as drought tolerance” (wikipedia.org). These global issues are achievable through the process of plant breeding, as it offers the ability to select specific genes allowing the crop to perform at a level which yields the desired
Modern biotechnology was born at the hands of American scientists Herb Boyer and Stain Cohen, when they developed “recombinant deoxyribonucleotide, (rDNA), [1] for medicinal purposes. Subsequently, biotechnologists started genetically engineering agricultural plants using this technology. A single gene responsible for a certain trait, from one organism (usually a bacterium) is selected altered and then ‘spliced” into the DNA of a plant to create an agricultural crop consisting of that...
I watched the movie called Bitter Seeds in my environmental class. The movie talked about the problems in India about farming. The movie also talked about the suicide rate, how high it is compared to our country. It said that every 30 minutes, a farmer commits suicide. In India, the economy is not that great so they went with the seeds that were more expensive. The culture is completely different from ours, they celebrate Pola, which is the bull festival, they do rituals when something bad is happening. Most of the seeds were rotting and they were not getting enough water, which resulted in the seeds not germinating, eventually the plants died out and the farmers killed themselves. The people who were selling the seeds wanted more money than what it really should have cost. Banks rarely loan people any money, they had to go to a Loan shark. Loan sharks were basically thugs because they would charge the people 7% to 10% interest per month to grow seven acres. I think Indian farmers should be able to get loans from the bank at a higher percentage rate so they won't have to go to loan sharks and get ripped off.
Since the birth of agriculture farmers across the world have been altering the genetic makeup of the crops they grow. Ancient farmers chose only the best looking plants and
“Civilization rests on people’s ability to modify plants to make them more suitable as food, feed and fiber plants and all of these modifications are genetic” (American Association 1). This quote from the article “Statement by the AAAS Board of Directors On Labeling of Genetically Modified Foods” expresses that fact that humans have used the favorable genes of plants since the days of Gregor Mendel, the father of genetics. When plants exhibited a desirable trait, they were bred together so that more of the offspring would have that trait. Genetic Modification is manipulating the genome of the plant, but humans have been doing that for years. Modifying the genes is a more precise way to do this. Genetic Modification improves food and is safe.
The term GM foods or GMO (genetically-modified organisms) is most commonly used to refer to crop plants created for human or animal consumption using the latest molecular biology techniques (Whitman, 2000). These plants have been modified in the laboratory to offer desired traits such as increased resistance to herbicides or improved nutritional content. Also, genetic engineering techniques have been applied to create plants with the exact desired trait very rapidly and accurately. For example, this is done by the geneticist isolating the gene responsible for drought tolerance and inserts it into another plant. The new genetically-modified plant will now have gained drought tolerance as well.
Selective breeding A breed is a particular set of domestic animals or plants having uniform look and behavior, that differentiate it from other animals or plants. Domestication is the process whereby a population of living organisms is changed at the genetic level, through generations of selective breeding, to accentuate traits that ultimately benefit humans. The deliberate breeding of animals and other species to obtain required features by human beings is called selective breeding. It includes breeding methods such as inbreeding, line breeding, etc. The animals that are produced are tamed, and the breeding is usually done by an expert breeder.
According to scientists, genetically engineering crops contributes to their quality. Crops that have been genetically modified to have a particular trait can decrease the amount of herbicides needed for growing that crop. Additionally, genetically modified (GM) crops can help third world countries, where malnutrition is common. For example, to help diminish nutrient deficiencies in developing countries, “plans were underway to develop a golden rice that also has increased iron content”(Whitman 2). In addition, GM crops can be modified to be able to “withstand the environmental challenges of drought, disease, and insect infestation” (Swenson 1). Growing GM crops can also result in fruits and vegetables that stay fresh for a prolonged period of time and taste better.
Biotechnology can be defined as a “collection of tools for modifying tree physiology and genetics to aid breeding, propagation and research” (Burdon and Libby 2006). These tools include the use of tissue culture, genetic engineering (genetic modification) and the use of genetic markers for marker assisted breeding (Harry and Strauss 2010).
In Genesis 1:29, God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.” From the beginning God has given us food for life. Plants, meats, trees, and fruits are offered to us as a means of sustenance from the very same God who made them long ago.
Without them we will have a major decline in crop production and most of our valuable crops will soon disappear. They can be generalists or specialists meaning they can choose a specific plant or pollinate whichever. Another factor in this process is plant morphology. The different structures allow pollinators to choose which plants they want to pollinate. These animals choose them based on size, shape, scent, color, and location. They pollinate for rewards like nectar, pollen, oil, and a place to rest and hang out. All of these factors are important for pollination and without them our lives will be extremely
Genetic engineering increases the agricultural economy, the yields of agricultural produce, and also causes negative effects on the ecosystem. Genetic engineering enhances plant resistance to drought, salinity, disease, pests and herbicides. The aim is to try and enhance the growth, productivity, nutrient value, and chemical composition of the plants. Chemicals are constantly being developed or improved to enhance the competitiveness and adaptability of crops, and to kill the parasites and weeds that plague the agricultural sector. . This however is not always good as the plant and the pests then become resistant to these new chemicals, defeating the purpose of it being used.
So, even if GMO may have all of these "fantastic" benefits, there is still potential threat and harm it can do to the environment, health, and nature's balance. Remember, the next time you see someone, ask them if they know what GMO is and try to help the world be more aware of what GMO really is and what it can really does to both the world and environment.
Home gardens offer a wide variety of benefits to the environment and serve a diverse group of people. Home gardening provides a source of fresh produce and free of chemicals, it also gives you complete control over the chemicals and products used during the growing process. A home garden allows you to pick the produce when its ripe, unlike produce at the store is often picked before its fully ripe. The quality and flavor of the freshly picked produce from home is better than the produce that might have unknown chemicals and was likely picked several days or weeks before being sold. The produce retains more nutrients when consumed shortly after being picked, making your home garden vegetables a healthier option. A garden also provides a positive environmental impact. The compost allows you to recycle certain kitchen and yard waste into a nutrient-rich additive for the garden. This provides natural fertilizer for you plants and reduces the wastes you produce. If you choose to avoid or limit chemical use, you reduce pollution from your gardening activities. Besides being good for the environment gardens have environmental gains for us. Gardening help control urban temperatures, If the environmental landscape design is effective it can cool your home in summer and warm it in winter, it can also reduce the energy cost by up to 20%. Gardening, and all the physical activity that goes along with it, leads to a better overall physical health, weight loss, improve you bones, and reduces the risk of having osteoporosis. “In a study of 3,310 older women, researchers from the University of Arkansas found that women involved in yard work and other types of gardening exercises had lower rates of osteoporosis than joggers, swimmers, and women wh...
Would you enjoy having fresh, delicious, luscious vegetables to eat all summer long that cost you almost nothing? I know I would. Well, now you can have your veggies and eat them too. Try building your own vegetable garden. It can fit all sizes of yards and decks. You just need to pick the location and type of garden. Next, you will prepare the garden site and work the soil. Finally, you will plan the specifics and plant your garden. With some care and patience, you will be enjoying the fruits of your labor in no time.
Plant nutrition is area of plant biology that is of the utmost importance for the proliferation of plants. Without proper nutrition, plants would simply cease to exist unless drastic alterations were made. There are certain elements that are required for the plant to grow and reproduce; these elements are known as essential elements. There are three requirements of an essential element: the element must be required for the completion of the plant’s life cycle, the element must not be replaceable by another element in whole, and finally the element must be direction involved in the metabolism of the plant. Chemical compounds that are involved in proper nutrition have been designated as nutrients, and further classified as macronutrients and micronutrients. Macronutrients are needed for growth, metabolism, and many other functions, but are designated as “macro” because they are required in larger amounts. Macronutrients include carbohydrates, proteins, and fat molecules. Micronutrients have a much wider function that depends on the exact micronutrient. Micronutrients are designated as so because they are needed in much smaller amounts when compared to macronutrients. Examples of micronutrients include vitamins and minerals.