For centuries, rice has been one of the most important staple crops for the world and it now currently feeds more than two billion people, mostly living in developing countries. Rice is the major food source of Japan and China and it enjoys a long history of use in both cultures. In 1994, worldwide rice production peaked at 530 million metric tons. Yet, more than 200 million tons of rice are lost each year to biotic stresses such as disease and insect infestation. This extreme loss of crop is estimated to cost at least several billion dollars per year and heavy losses often leave third world countries desperate for their staple food.
Therefore, measures must be taken to decrease the amount of crop loss and increase yields that could be used to feed the populations of the world. One method to increase rice crop yields is the institution of transgenic rice plants that express insect resistance genes. The two major ways to accomplish insect resistance in rice are the introduction of the potato proteinas e inhibitor
II gene or the introduction of the Bacillus thuringiensis toxin gene into the plant's genome. Other experimental methods of instituting insect resistance include the use of the arcelin gene, the snowdrop lectin/GNA (galanthus nivallis agglutinin) protein, and phloem specific promoters and finally the SBTI gene.
The introduction of the potato proteinase inhibitor II gene, or PINII, marks the first time that useful genes were successfully transferred from a dicotyledonus plant to a monocotyledonous plant. Whenever the plant is wounded by insects, the PINII gene produces a protein that interferes with the insect's digestive processes. These protein inhibitors can be detrimental to the growth and development of a wide range of insects that attack rice plants and result in insects eating less of the plant material. Proteinase inhibitors are of particular interest because they are part of the rice plant's natural defense system against insects. They are also beneficial because they are inactivated by cooking and therefore pose no environmental or health hazards to the human consumption of PINII treated rice.
In order to produce fertile transgenic rice plants, plasmid pTW was used, coupled with the pin 2 promoter and the inserted rice actin intron, act 1. The combi...
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... SBTI gene is being cloned into vectors and is being used to transform other types of embryos using the particle gun technique.
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conclusion, through the use of new technologies such as the introduction of potato proteinase inhibitor II gene, the establishment of the Bacillus thuringiensis toxin gene and the experimental methods of using the arcelin gene, the snowdrop lectin/GNA (galanthus nivallis agglutinin) protein, and phloem specific promoters and finally the SBTI gene, rice plants have become almost completely resistant to insects that used to destroy much of the crop. This has been an important step in biotechnology because the improvement of rice plants is a major concern that could potentially effect almost all of the populations of the world.
Biotechnology has become an increasingly accepted method of solving some of the major problems in agriculture, medicine, and industry. Potentially, with the advancements of many techniques, almost whenever people eat, drink, take medicine, or go to work, they will be touched in some way by the many complicated processes of biotechnology, that are striving to make our world a better place to exist in.
helps out the town with their crops to grow and can be harvest when its time.
It is seen that Japan while allowing these relations even against their better judgment were found to be better for it. China on the other hand suffered due to their resistance. Western powers fought their way in but it was fought every step of the way. While the treaties and agreements made by Japan weren’t done with terms favorable to its country, a dynamic economy was the result of it deciding to open itself back up to relations with the outside world. Japan had realized after the Meiji transformation period that if they wanted to become a world power much like those who had forced their ways on them, that they would have to welcome these powers and when they did many doors starting to open for them. These doors opening included establishing new industries and adopting new agriculture advancements. From the start China was in the mind set of defiance against any and all western influence. It didn’t stop the influence from coming but China went kicking and screaming the entire way. The country tried its best to reform and make effort to advance the country as challenged to do so by the west while trying to preserve Chinese customs and values. They tried valiantly to make themselves a super power like Japan had but they couldn’t find the right formula to make themselves strong enough and were
During World War I, farmers had produced massive amounts of crops in order to provide for America and war-torn European nations. The damage of the fighting in Europe left valuable
Biotechnology has helped make food at a quicker and an even more affordable rate for the consumer of the food. Animals and crops have been bred for centuries and the disease resistance has been improved.
Genetic modification (GM), also known as genetic engineering and recombinant DNA technology, is a process that involves combining DNA, and later inserting the newly recombined DNA into cells to be expressed through protein synthesis. The use of this technology in food can result in both positive and negative consequences. Genetic modification of food can aid first world countries by improving the economy and increasing food supplies, and third world countries, by resolving the issue of nutrient deficiency. In spite of that, genetic modification of food can also have negative effects. These include disruption of the food chain and biodiversity, the production of new, unfamiliar allergens, and even economical decline. Currently, genetically modified food is permitted for use and importation in Australia (Benefits of gene technology, n.d.), which raises the question, whether the genetic modification of food can only have positive outcomes for today’s consumers.
With the rapid growth of our global population pouring into the next millennium, we will witness an ever-growing hunger rate around the world. That is unless we call for a revolution on the global scale. The Green Revolution which already sprouted in the early part of the century only need to add a bit more momentum and we will see a bright future for the human race, a future without hunger and starvation ¡V hopefully.It is becoming increasingly difficult for the planet to support its overwhelming population. And since the amount of arable land available is becoming scarce, we must seek ways to dramatically improve crop yields of existing cropland.
Modern technology has taken amazing strides in the past few years. We have changed the way we deal with food production, agriculture, and many other aspects of life.. Scientists have begun utilizing these advances in technology and knowledge to gain insight as to how the human species functions. They are on the verge of manipulating the way humans relate to the natural world. This revolutionary breakthrough is what is known as Genetic Engineering. Genetic Engineering is the process of manually adding new DNA molecules into an already existing organism. A simplified version of the process works by physically removing a gene from one organism and placing it into another. This is being done in an effort to
Many people feel that biology has become more advanced than physics. Biology has in fact become the new focus of the future as we tend to use it a lot in our daily lives. The study of Biotechnology is known as the branch of molecular biology that studies the use of microorganisms to perform specific industrial processes. This study shows that our lives can be transformed.
Throughout the history of the human race there have been a great number of crops that were discovered, planted, and over time domesticated. Wheat in the Middle East, rice in Asia, and rye in Eastern Europe are all some of today’s staple crops that feed millions every day. Crops like these make up over 50% of the world’s total food supply. However, the third most eaten crop in the world is maize, or corn, which provides 21% of human nutrition. Today maize feeds millions across the world, but its history is different from the others.
Any technological application that uses biological systems, living organisms, or derivatives thereof, to make or modify products or processes for specific use to benefit the lives of humans or other organisms, in bettering their lives. (Essays, UK. (November 2013). Can Genetic Engineering Be Regarded As Biotechnology Biology?. April 2014, http://www.ukessays.com/essays/biology/can-genetic-engineering-be-regarded-as-biotechnology-biology-essay.php?cref=1)
Biotechnology is a group of technologies that work together with living cells and their molecules to prolong life (Keener and Hoban et al., 2014). Today biotechnology can be used in a variety of ways such as in an industrial setting where they use it to create enzymes to synthesize chemicals, in an environmental setting where they use it for waste and pollution prevention and lastly it can be used in medical applications such as in pharmaceuticals, genetic engineering, DNA fingerprinting and lastly it can be used in stem cell therapy (Keener and Hoban et al., 2014). Everyone in today’s society depends on and uses biotechnology in one form or another, biotechnology is essential for our health and wellbeing. Vaccines are also manufactured using biotechnology which consist of three main ways, it aids scientists to separate pure antigen using specific monoclonal antibody, aids in synthesis of an antigen with the help of a cloned gene and lastly it also aids in the synthesis of peptides to be used as vaccines (Alam 2014). A vaccine can protect you from specific diseases that can make you sick or even kill you.
Japan is a large island off to the east of China it is a great country that has a rich culture. The Japanese religion is based off of two main beliefs, the belief in Shinto and Buddhism many Japanese people believe consider themselves both. The Japanese people were known to be around as early as 4,500 B.C. They have constructed their government style to a constitutional monarchy where they do in fact have an emperor, but he has limited power within the country. The main power of the country is held by the Prime Minister of Japan. Japan is made up of many islands that extend along the Pacific coast of Asia. The land area is made up of a lot of forest and mountainous area that cannot be used for agricultural, industrial or residential use. Japan also has one of the largest and growing economies in the world. They are growing every day and it is all because the people of Japan work very hard in order for their economy to flourish as it has.
The new chemicals which are produced to kill these strong pests and weeds may be more harmful to other plants and remove nutrients within the soil, in turn reducing the yield of agricultural crops. The benefits of these characteristics are seen in Argentina according to Pelletier (2010) as they use glyphosphate resistant soybean which allowed the comeback of this crop, as the soil was severely damaged from monoculture (The cultivation of a single crop in a defined area).... ... middle of paper ... ...
The global population in the year 2050 is expected to be nine billion and the agricultural demand is expected to double. With the current population already over seven billion people, there are hunger issues all around the world (“New” par. 1). How are we going to deal with food shortages in the future? With less land to work with, strains on the soils, and the lack of water, it is getting harder for the farmers of the world to support our growing population. These complications are making it harder for farmers to produce quality, affordable food. To help the crops grow better, farmers use fertilizers and chemical sprays to enhance growth and control the weeds. Farming in the United States is a relevant business because it supplies people with food, provides people with jobs maintaining the used equipment with the new equipment being much more expensive, and it provides research for more efficient ways on how to feed the world.
Rice was introduced into Japan between the Final Jomon and the Early Yayoi Period, some scholars suggest that it could have been as early as six-thousand years ago. There are various Japanese characters from each time period that represent the growing of rice. In order to grow rice in Japan, the steep land has to be terraced. This creates small areas high on mountainsides where various things are grown. In 2012, 1.55 million hectares were used to grow rice in Japan. However, this number is significantly smaller than it has been in previous years. In 2008, 4.68 million hectares of rice were being harvested. The average field for one farmer is very small and the production of the rice is highly mechanized. The steep decline in hectares of rice grown is because the number of Japanese farm households has declined dramatically in recent years. Some farmers in Japan even consider rice farming to be a part time job and not as important as other commodities. The decline is also from a change in the Staple Food Control Act in 1969. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries asked farmers to reduce their rice acreage because of the overproduction of rice. This was put into place to lower the rice amount and spend more focus on other agricultural products in order to compensate in other areas.