PLANTS - OUR PLANTS - OUR FUTURE…?FUTURE…?

Take in CO2, give out O2,

transpire water to

clouds and promote rainfall

Plants relate to everything Plants relate to everything aroundaround

FUTURE PRIORITIESFUTURE PRIORITIES•Production of safe, high-quality, diverse food and feed in sufficient quantities•Sustainable agriculture •Development of plants for the production of renewable resources and energy•Increasing competitiveness while maintaining the freedom of choice of consumers

Scientific and technological progress in biotechnologies for genetically modified (GM) foods is the most promising tool for addressing these new priorities.

Scientists are taking genes from one species and inserting them into entirely different

species, to transplant a desired personality trait

What foods can you create by What foods can you create by genetic modification?genetic modification?

Maize

TomatoesGolden rice

Soybeans

Wheat

Foods in European supermarkets are not genetically modified.

 GM fruits and vegetables are still quite a long way from commercial use in the EU.

 

Bananas An endangered species?

Potatoes

The adoption of Transgenics, 1996-The adoption of Transgenics, 1996-20062006

• Advantages: • The agricultural process is kinder to the environment,

by using less pesticides, fertilizers and water. • Gene technology is one of the best solutions to the

problem of world hunger. It can increase production and lower the cost of food.

• Gene modification can boost immunity and develop inbuilt vaccines for livestock and poultry.

• Gene technology can remove lactose, so that lactose-intolerant people can eat dairy products.

• Crops could be grown in areas suffering from drought and salt.

• GM crops are faster and cheaper. • Many vegetarians may fid they are now able to

consume products which have synthetic, rather than animal-based, origins.

• G M Foods are sometimes thought as being more nutritious, tasting better and they keep longer.

• Many people rely on genetically modified foods for medicines, for example insulin for diabetics.

• Proven by research, GM Foods are safe. .

• Disadvantages:• Most food manafacturers are unable to provide

information on whether or not their products contain GM ingredients. This means you rarely know what you are eating.

• GM crops can contaminate other crops simply by pollen being blown by wind from one field to another.

• Sometimes GM crops have allergenic effects.

• Loss of nutritional value.

• Reduction of the efficiency of antibiotics.

• New viruses could evolve from the mass production of GM crops.

• Pests may develop resistance to GM crops that have been designed to kill them.

• Humans do not have the right to genetically alter nature for their own convienience and profit.

• Vegetarians and Vegans may find it offensive to put animal genes into plants.

• Some countries will not be able to afford GM foods.

• GM crops may produce ecological side effects (Monarch butterfiles).

• Too much money spent on Gene Technology could have been spent on other things.

GM food - the big debateGM food - the big debate

At least 174 regions, over 4500 At least 174 regions, over 4500 municipalitiesmunicipalities and other local entities and tens of and other local entities and tens of thousandsthousands of farmers and food producers in Europe of farmers and food producers in Europe have declared themselves "GMO-free" have declared themselves "GMO-free" expressing their commitment not to allowexpressing their commitment not to allowthe use of genetically modified organisms the use of genetically modified organisms in the agriculture and food in their in the agriculture and food in their territoriesterritories

EUROPEAN de facto MORATATORIUMEUROPEAN de facto MORATATORIUM

In June 2003, the EUROPEAN Parliament In June 2003, the EUROPEAN Parliament ratified a biosafety protocol regulating ratified a biosafety protocol regulating international trade in genetically international trade in genetically modified food.modified food.It requires that all food/feed containing It requires that all food/feed containing or derived from GMO be labeledor derived from GMO be labeled

and any GM ingredients in food be tracedand any GM ingredients in food be traced..

•Scientists have to develop fast growing grasses, treesthat control the uptake and binding of toxic elements and to examine individual genes and mechanisms that might drive phytoremediation. To following plant characteristics have to be used in plant engineering for Phytoremediation:

• activity in rhizosphere; • element uptake; • transformation to most mobile species;• translocation through vascular system; • transformation to best managed • element species; • chemical sinks for toxic element• accumulation;• physical sites for storage • (cytosol, vacuole).

DEVELOP OF GENETICALLY MODIFIED PLANTSDEVELOP OF GENETICALLY MODIFIED PLANTSFOR TOXIC CLEAN -UPFOR TOXIC CLEAN -UP

Remediation plant. Genetically modified poplar trees, which can take up chlorinated solvents, are developed to remediate polluted sites.

Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP)The protein is encoded The protein is encoded by a single gene and by a single gene and can be cloned and can be cloned and incorporated in cells of incorporated in cells of other speciesother species..It possesses natural It possesses natural fluorescence allowing fluorescence allowing direct visualization of direct visualization of the transformed cells.the transformed cells.

Aequorea victoria

Thank you !