Benefits of Genetically Modified Crops

Work on plant and human genomes has proceeded in parallel and the progress in this is leading to a greater understanding of agronomic performance and phenotypic appearance through studies of the genomics, proteomics, and metabolomics; which is allowing breeders to identify the genes associated with specific desirable traits which would provide major opportunities for crop improvement (Cockburn 2001). Genetic engineering (GE) or rDNA (recombinant DNA) allows specific genes from an organism to be identified, isolated, copied, and inserted into other organisms with high level of specificity (Poitras 2000, Cockburn 2001, Jordan 2002, Dennis et al. 2008, Lemaux 2008). Since the approval by the USDA, Genetically engineered (GE) crops and foods have been commercially available in the United States since 1994 (Cockburn 2001, Jordan 2002, Nap et al. 2003) and their adaption around the world followed, showing increases each year since their introduction (Cockburn 2001, Lemaux 2009). The demand of rapidly growing world population has exerted increasing pressure on the earth’s resources (Cockburn 2001) and the environment, with more arable land being cultivated (Nichols 2000, Dennis et al. 2008). Biotechnology can improve crop productivity with reliable transgenic procedures; it can engineer plants with highly specific disease resistances (Cooper et al. 2004, Duveiller and Sharma 2008); and it can help fulfill nutritional goals by adding vitamins, protein and vaccines (Nichols 2000, Poitras 2000, Livermore 2002).

Genetic engineering is an environmentally sound way to increase food production based on many studies. The first generation GM crops have delivered both economical and environmental benefits to farmers and societies with out the devastating ecological or health impacts predicted by their detractors; GE can deliver new crops that produce healthier foods, produce drugs and vaccines providing simple delivery mechanisms to improve health in developing countries (Dennis et al. 2008). An example of this is rice which is very widely consume around the world and yet it is a poor source of vitamins, in particular rice is not a source of vitamin A. Vitamin A deficiency is most common in young children and pregnant women and can lead to blindness, susceptibility to infectious diseases, and death (Lemaux 2008). According, to a team of scientist, led by Dr. Ingo Potrykus, professor of Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, has produced transformed rice (golden rice), which does indeed express beta-carotene, a vitamin A precursor (Livermore 2002). Through agriculture and local trade, golden rice is expected to reach the target populations in developing countries, where vitamin A deficiency prevails, grains from Golden rice is expected to provide this important micronutrient sustainably (Al-Babili and Beyer 2005).