Post on 10-Jan-2017
transcript
Genetically Modified Crops (GM)&
Food Security
By:- Rajdeep Singh Sidhu
- Gaurav Ghai
What is GM crops/ food? According to ‘World Health Organisation’ “Genetically modified (GM) foods are foods derived from organisms whose genetic
material (DNA) has been modified in a way at does not occur naturally, i.e. through the introduction of a gene from a different organism.
GM Crops are described by many different names – •Genetically Engineered crops(GE)•Transgenic or Biotech crops •Genetically Modified Organism(GMO)
BT GeneBT Gene inserted into DNA of the crop
Genetically Modified Plant
Injected
Genetically modified crops
Insect Resistance
Herbicide Tolerance
Drought resistance
Yield increase
Nutrient Enhancement
Virus Tolerance
Advantages of GM Crops
Insect Resistance (IR) Insect pests have become an integral part of agricultural crops worldwide and
significantly reduce yield of the plants. So IR trait is inserted into crops. IR trait is helpful in following ways•Reduction in Insecticide spraying•Targeting of the insecticide solely to the plant to be protected .
GM plant
Killed European Corn Borer
Toxin is Present
European Corn Borer(Insect)
Herbicide ToleranceOver 63% of Gm crops grown globally have herbicide tolerance traits. Herbicide tolerance is achieved through the introduction of a gene from a bacteriumconveying resistance to some herbicides. In situations where weed pressure is high, theuse of such crops has resulted in a reduction in the quantity of the herbicides used.
GM cropGM Crop(Unaffected)
Weed KilledWeed
Herbicide Spray
Result OfHerbicide Spray
Virus ResistanceVirus resistance makes plants less susceptible to diseases caused by such viruses,
resulting in higher crop yields.
For Example- Hawaiian Papaya- Hawaiian papaya is made resistant to the
devastating effects of Papaya Ring Spot Virus (PRSV).
Hawaiian Papaya Papaya Ring Spot Virus
Disadvantages of GM cropsAllergenicityGene transferOutcrossingSuper Weeds
AllergenicityIn India, hundreds of laborers picking cotton and working in cotton ginning factories developed allergic reactions when handling the BT cotton. This didn’t happen with the non-Bt varieties. [Ashish Gupta et. al., “Impact of Bt Cotton on Farmers’ Health (in Barwani and Dhar District of Madhya Pradesh),” Investigation Report, Oct–Dec 2005]Hospital records: “ Show that victims of itching have increased massively this year, and all of them are related to BT cotton farming.” [The Sunday Indian, 10/26/08]
Itching all over the body, eruptions, wounds, discoloration
Out-crossingThe movement of genes from GM plants into conventional crops or related species in
the wild (referred to as “out crossing”), as well as the mixing of crops derived from
conventional seeds with those grown using GM crops, may have an indirect effect on
food safety and food security.
pollens
Direction of wind
GM Crops Conventional crops
Super Weeds :A wild plant that has been accidentally pollinated by a genetically-modified plant and now contains that plant's abilities to resist herbicides and insects.Glyphosate is the chemical name for an herbicide. Certain invasive grasses and weeds have proven themselves to be resistant to glyphosate, meaning that the herbicide is no longer effective against these plants.Examples of weeds resistant to Glyphosate• Common Ragweed• Italian Ryegrass
Super Weeds
pollens
WeedGM Crop
Cross Pollination of GM crop With Weeds
Super Weed
Herbicide Spray
GM Crop Super Weed
No Effect of Herbicide Spray
GM Crop
FOOD SECURITY
Food Security Definition: According to United State Department of Agriculture (USDA)
‘Food security for a household means access by all members at all times to enough
food for an active, healthy life. Food security includes at a minimum :
(1) the ready availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods.
(2) an assured ability to acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways (that is,
without resorting to emergency food supplies, scavenging, stealing, or other coping
strategies).
Food Security
Human
Food Availability
Food Access
Utilization
Stability
Food Availability Availability of sufficient Quantity of Food.
Quality should be appropriate.
Food AccessHaving sufficient resources to:-• Obtain appropriate foods for a nutritious diet.
Money
RESOURCES
Stability• In case of :
SHOULD HAVE FOOD RESERVE
Earthquakes
Floods
Drought
Utilization• Utilization of food through Proper :
Clean Water Hand Wash
Flushing
Washing Utensils
Proper Sanitation
Why we need food security? To cope with situations like:
DroughtFloods
No market to sell the Goods
Food Crisis in the World during period 1986-2005
• Africa has > 15 years of food crisis and worst in the world where the average number of crises has tripled over the last two decades.
Food Emergencies in Years
How Genetically Modified Crop
HelpTo Tackle
Food Security
Yield Increase
Conventional Seeds
Genetically Modified Seeds
Low yield
High yield
Drought Resistant
Genetically Modified Crops requires less
water for their growth , hence are capable to
sustain in drought conditions.
Useful in areas which receive less rainfall.
Nutrient Enhancement White rice is a staple food in most countries.
It provides 80% daily calories.
Concern Arises White rice doesn’t contain beta-carotene which human body converts it to
Vitamin A.
WHO says 5 Lakh people get blind due to vitamin A deficiency every year .
To tackle this beta-carotene is added to white rice to make “Golden Rice”.
Adding Nutritive Value
Gene added from:-1. Maize or Daffodil Plant2. Common soil bacteria (Erwinia)
Lycopene
Beta-carotene
Yellow-Orange rice grainOr
Golden rice
White Rice
Golden Rice is rich in Vitamin A
Food shell life Increase
TransportationBy variousmeans
Storage
• Spoiling of vegetable decreases.• The first genetically modified crop
approved for sale in the U.S. was the Falvrsvr tomato.
Ware-House
Conclusion GMO’s present both positive and negative aspects to society as a whole.
They are a topic of much deliberation and tension; very prevalent in some parts of
the world and banned in others.
GE crops are required for meeting Food Security in today’s growing population.
Ultimately, GMO’s are still a relatively premature technology and in the
developmental process. Only time will reveal their ultimate effect on humans.