Chapters
In this article, we will discuss how genetic engineering may assist in solving the global demand for food by improving the quality and productivity of farmed animals and crop plants. For this purpose, we will use the examples of GM salmon, herbicide resistance in soybean, and insect resistance in cotton. Furthermore, we will also discuss the ethical and social implications of using genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in food production.
Uses of Genetic Engineering in Agriculture
As we already know that genetic engineering refers to a technique that is used deliberately to alter a specific attribute (or attributes) of an organism. In this technique, a gene with the desired attribute is removed from one organism and transferred into another organism using a vector. The desired gene is expressed in the organism where it gets transferred.
The organism that is genetically engineered in this way will have the recombinant DNA and will be referred to as a genetically modified organism (GMO).
What are the objectives of genetic engineering?
The primary objective of genetic engineering is to meet the global demand for food. Moreover, plants and animals are also genetically engineered to produce proteins for medicine. The genetic modification of the crop plants offers the following benefits:
- They are resistant to herbicides – enhance productivity/yield
- They are pest-resistant – Which also helps to increase productivity/yield
- Crops and plants are enriched in vitamins – Which helps to enhance the nutritional value
Genetically modified farmed animals grow quickly. Animals are seldom genetically modified for food production because of the ethical concerns associated with this exercise.
Benefits of genetic engineering in medicine
Scientists have genetically modified several organisms which include bacteria and sheep. The genetic modification of bacteria is used to produce insulin, whereas sheep are genetically modified to produce human blood protein AAT.
Genetic engineering vs selective breeding
The benefits of genetic engineering outweigh the benefits of selective breeding because this practice has helped us in meeting the increased global demand for food:
- Genetic engineering produces the organisms with desired characteristics more quickly than selective breeding
- All organisms that are genetically modified will have the desired characteristic and there is zero probability of recessive allele in the population
- The desired attribute may be taken from a different species or kingdom
Examples of Genetically Modified Organisms
GM Salmon
In 2015, US Food and Drug Authority (FDA) approved AquaAdventure Salmon for human consumption. AquaAdventure salmon is genetically modified to grow more quickly as compared to non-GM salmon because of the hormone production in salmon in the whole year instead of just two seasons spring and summer.
Production of GM Salmon
To produce a genetically modified salmon, scientists took a growth hormone gene from a chinook salmon and combined it with the promoter gene from an ocean pout fish. The ocean pout fish is able to grow in almost freezing waters and hence the promoter gene ensured the continuous expression of the growth hormone. In order to ensure that the GM salmon does not reproduce in the wild, all the salmon are female and sterile.
Herbicide-resistant Soybeans
Farmers are growing herbicide-resistant soybeans which allows them to spray the herbicide after germination on the crop to kill weeds. If the weeds are not killed, they compete with the growing soybeans for water, light, and minerals. This can lead to a decrease in crop yield.
Resistant Gene
A strain of the bacterium Agrobacterium is the source of the resistant gene which allows an enzyme in the soybean to synthesize three amino acids continuously. These three amino acids, phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan are required to produce proteins needed to grow the tips of the plants.
The enzyme in plants that do not contain the resistant gene is inhibited by the herbicide glyphosate. Plants die without the synthesis of proteins.
Insect-resistant Cotton
Genetically modified cotton produces its insecticides. This plant is modified genetically with a gene for Bt toxin which comes from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis.
How GM cotton kills insects?
When an insect injects a part of a cotton plant, the toxin is activated because of the alkaline solution in its gut. This toxin eventually kills the insect. Remember that this toxin is non-toxic to vertebrates because their stomach is highly acidic.
Various strains of the bacterium thuringiensis produce various toxins that are harmful to different species of insects. Gradually, the insect species have developed resistance to the genes for Bt toxin which resulted in the decreased effectiveness of this practice.
In the next section of the article, we will discuss the ethical and social implications of using genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in food production.
Ethical and Social Implications of Using Genetic Modification in Food
Genetically modified microorganisms are used to produce antibiotics, medicines, and enzymes. The use of GMOs in agriculture to meet the growing food demands globally involves many social and ethical implications which are discussed below:
Ethical Implications
The ethical implications of employing genetic modification in agriculture are:
- Long-term effects on human health
The absence of long-term research on how these crops will affect human health. Scientists are not sure if consuming GM foods is healthy for humans in the long term or not. It is feared that these foods may cause allergies in the future, or they can be harmful over time. However, this fear is not backed by evidence until now.
- Individual choice matters
Every individual has a right to choose the food he wants to consume. Without suitable labelling on GM foods, customers are unable to take an informed decision about the consumption of GM foods.
- Contamination of organic crops
The pollens from genetically modified crops can contaminate the non-GM crops nearby which were otherwise certified as 100% organic.
- Reduction of biodiversity
It also raises a concern that biodiversity will decrease significantly for future generations if this practice goes on.
Social Implications
There are social implications of growing GM foods that focus on whether these crops are safe for the environment or human consumption or not. Some of the negative social implications of using GM foods are discussed below:
- There is a possibility that the GM crops can turn into weeds and invade the natural habitats nearby
- Resistance can develop for the introduced gene in the wild relative populations
- There is a possibility of ecological consequences. For instance, they can be harmful to non-targeted species such as Monarch butterflies
- GM foods can raise the costs for farmers as they need to buy new seeds each year
- They can result in allergic reactions
- They can reduce biodiversity which can negatively impact the food webs
- The herbicides sprayed on GM crops could leave dangerous residue behind
Besides the above-discussed negative social implications of GM foods, there are many positive social aspects of these crops too.
- GM foods help to provide nutrient-dense foods to those who suffer from malnutrition. Hence, they can result in the reduction of diseases caused by nutritional deficiency
- GM foods can minimize the negative impacts on the environment that are associated with using the pesticides
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