Author:
Naqibullah jogezai
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Date Posted: 03:43:20 12/22/05 Thu
Author Host/IP: ntc.net.pk/202.83.175.123
In reply to:
BY NAQIBULLAH JOGEZAI
's message, "More Information About Biotechnology" on 03:25:56 06/25/05 Sat
>
>Welcome to BioTech! Our goal is to enrich the public's
>knowledge of biology and chemistry. We aim to serve
>everyone from high school students to professional
>researchers. For more information
>
>
>What is "BioTech"?
>Located in Jinna Town Quetta at University of BUITMS,
>BioTech is a hybrid biology/chemistry educational
>resource and research tool on the World Wide Web.
>BioTech is intended to be a learning tool that will
>attract students and enrich the public's knowledge of
>biology issues in the world today. At the same time,
>BioTech is also a research tool for those already
>involved in the broad subject of biology. By providing
>information about resources, as well as avenues for
>further exploration, we intend to open the doors of
>biology resources to post-secondary students,
>researchers, and faculty.
>Our Mission:
>Our mission is to make BioTech as useful a tool to a
>high school student as it is to a postdoctoral fellow.
>We aim to educate those who may not have as much
>experience with biology and biotechnology while at the
>same time providing quick access to biology-related
>resources for those who are dealing with much more
>specific and detailed information. We do not wish to
>exclude anyone from this project -- we will assist
>those who need assistance and merely open doors for
>those who are interested in finding information on
>their own.
>Our Goal:
>Our goal is to utilize the skyrocketing success of the
>World Wide Web as a means of bringing information
>about the broad scope of biology into view of as many
>people from many educational levels as possible. We
>intend to educate, facilitate, inform, and direct
>attention to as many sources of biology-related
>information as possible.Biotechnology:
A new era for plant pathology
and plant protection.
Plant biotechnology ushers in a new era for plant scientists working to maintain healthy plants, optimize crop yields, and minimize pesticide usage. One of the ultimate aims of agricultural biotechnology is to feed an expanding world population. A recent survey by The Economist shows that the world population has increased by 90% in the past 40 years while food production has increased by only 25% per head. With an additional 1.5 billion mouths to feed by 2020, farmers worldwide will have to produce 39% more grain (The Economist, March 25, 2000). These survey results aptly describe the food production challenges facing the global community of farmers and consumers in the new millennium and the dimension of the debate on the risks and benefits of developing genetically engineered crop plants to meet the increasing global food demand while preserving the environment.
Genetic engineering has the potential to provide a cornucopia of beneficial plant traits, particularly an enhanced ability to withstand or resist attack by plant pathogens. New approaches to plant disease control are particularly important for pathogens that are difficult to control by existing methods. The percentage of crop losses caused by plant pathogens, insect pests, and weeds, has steadily increased to 42% worldwide, accounting for $500 billion dollars worth of damage (Oerke et al., 1994). In the United States alone, crop losses due to plant pathogens amount to $9.1 billion dollars, while worldwide, plant diseases reduce crop productivity by 12% (Food and Agriculture Organization, 1993). Worldwide, pesticide applications costing $26 billion dollars annually are applied to manage pest losses. Genetically engineered plants resistant to plant pathogens can prevent crop losses and reduce pesticide usage. This feature article provides a current perspective on four major areas of research and application of plant genetic engineering for resistance to plant pathogens.
Enhancing resistance with plant genes: Scientists from all over the world are investigating the biochemical nature of, and the signals involved in, a plant’s reactions to pathogen invasion and disease development. Plant resistance genes and the genes involved in resistance reactions are being identified and engineered into crop plants to protect them against plant diseases. This rapidly advancing field of investigation is described in this feature under Enhancing a plant’s resistance with genes from the plant kingdom.
Pathogen derived resistance: Plants can be protected from diseases with transgenes (genes that are engineered into plants) that are derived from the pathogens themselves, a concept referred to as pathogen-derived resistance. For example, plant viral transgenes can protect plants from infection by the virus from which the transgene was derived. Genetic engineering of plants for viral resistance is a thriving area of research and is described in this feature with special emphasis on research being done at Cornell University, Geneva, NY, under Genetic engineering: A novel and powerful tool to combat plant virus diseases.
Antimicrobial proteins: Another area of investigation involves peptides and proteins with antimicrobial properties that when produced by plants have the potential to strengthen plant resistance to fungal and bacterial plant pathogens. Fungi, insects, animals, and humans all contain genes encoding antimicrobial compounds. This use of antimicrobials to improve plant resistance to pathogens is described in this feature with special emphasis on research being done at Cornell University, Geneva, NY, under Using antimicrobial proteins to enhance plant resistance.
Plantibodies: Although plants have mechanisms to protect themselves against pathogen attack, in contrast to animals, there is no "immune system" per se in plants. With the advent of genetic engineering, plants can be engineered to express an antibody against a protein crucial for pathogenesis resulting in a level of immunity or resistance to the pathogen. This promising approach is described under Plantibodies: an animal strategy imported to the plant kingdom to fight back pathogens.
Biotechnology is now a lightning rod for visceral debate, with opposing camps making strong claims of promise and peril. The debate involves not only scientific but also political, socio-economic, ethical, and philosophical issues (Wambugu 1999, Hails 2000, Ferber 1999, Trewavas 1999, Sagar et al. 2000).
This feature article provides a glimpse of the application of biotechnology to plant improvement. The dawn of a new era in plant pathology and plant protection is upon us. Biotechnology has rewritten the scope of scientific investigation, broadened the avenues to resistant plants, and challenged us to take safe and careful steps. Like any other new technology, much still needs to be done before the full potential of agricultural biotechnology is realized. As more and more plant biotechnology products become available, studies to evaluate the risks associated with biotechnology must be intensified. Findings from such studies must be easily accessible to the general public. The risks associated with this technology must be addressed and the benefits should be kept in mind. We are confronted with biotechnology’s vast perspective and this astounding view has expanded the very foundation of our understanding of life.
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