The Effects of Genetic Engineering on Agriculture Essay

Genetic engineering is a way in which specific genes for an animal or plant can be extracted, and reproduced to form a new animal or plant. These new organisms will express the required trait for that gene. This practice is a very controversial topic within the scientific world. It is being implemented in various areas such as agriculture even though there are many alternatives that can be found for genetic engineered crops, such as organic materials and reducing leeching of the soil. The controversy regarding this practice occurs as it is believed to contribute both negative and positive implications and dangers, not only to oneself but the environment as a whole. Genetic engineering increases the agricultural economy, the yields of†¦show more content†¦This however is not always the case, as China experienced a great loss in cotton production. The introduction of a Bacillus Thuringiensis (Bt) cotton changed the ecosystem in such a way that pests, which were normally not se nsitive to the Bt toxin began thriving in the cotton fields (Pelletier, 2010). This caused an increase in the use of pesticides which either leveled or decreased production rates. This caused most farmers, especially in commercialized agriculture to believe that yields are leveling off because the maximum yield potential of current varieties is being approached, and therefore genetic engineering must be applied (Altieri, 2004). The practice is a greatly industrialized one, as most genetic engineering in agriculture is being done by large transnational corporations. They are said to only be developing products for farmers in rich countries who can afford to pay high prices for seed (Union of Concerned Scientists, 2002). The crops of interest to theses farmers are field crops like corn, soybeans, and cotton, and fruits like tomatoes and cantaloupes. As this is a growing industry that is what the agricultural biotechnology industry is providing. Only a selected few will be able to produce the crops on a wide basis.â€Å"These products are of virtually no value to hungry farmers in Africa, who cannot afford theShow MoreRelatedThe Effects of Genetic Engineering on Agriculture Essay1409 Words   |  6 PagesThe Effects of Genetic Engineering on Agriculture Agribiotechnology is the study of making altered agricultural products. Agribusiness is trying to alter the genes of already existing products to try to enhance the biocompetitiveness and adaptability of crops by enhancing plant resistance to drought, salinity, disease, pests and herbicides. They are going to try to enhance their growth, productivity, nutrient value, and chemical composition. The old way of doing this was through selectiveRead MoreEssay about Should Genetic Engineering Be Controlled by Law?992 Words   |  4 PagesShould Genetic Engineering Be Controlled by Law? â€Å"Just as the success of a corporate body in making money need not set the human condition ahead, neither does every scientific advance automatically make our lives more meaningful† ( Professor George Wald, Noble Prize winning biologist, The Dangers of Genetic Engineeering 1976, p.45) . Genetic engineering is the direct manipulation of an organism’s genes. It uses the techniques of molecular cloning and transformation to alter theRead MoreDna And Ethics Of Recombinant Dna1601 Words   |  7 Pages Recombinant DNA and Ethics Brooke Boland BIO/410 - Genetics October 23, 2017 Miranda Gauthier Recombinant DNA and Ethics Recombinant DNA technology has become a powerful influence to many fields including medicine, pharmaceuticals and agriculture. 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The credibility of the publishers cannot be guaranteed as it is not a very well-known publishing company. There is evidence of cross referencing and the article has been updated so it contains up to date information. Bias This article is partially biased The Effects of Genetic Engineering on Agriculture Essay The Effects of Genetic Engineering on Agriculture Agribiotechnology is the study of making altered agricultural products. Agribusiness is trying to alter the genes of already existing products to try to enhance the biocompetitiveness and adaptability of crops by enhancing plant resistance to drought, salinity, disease, pests and herbicides. They are going to try to enhance their growth, productivity, nutrient value, and chemical composition. The old way of doing this was through selective breeding, special fertilizer, and hormones. This seems now somewhat outdated with today’s technology. Genetic engineering comes with many downfalls. Increased production through genetic engineering could exhaust nonrenewable resources more†¦show more content†¦This is a common bacterium on plants that causes frost to form on them. The lipoprotein coating of this bacterium is blown from the plants and soil into the atmosphere. Once in the upper atmospheric regions, these particles act as nuclei around which water collects and freezes to form ice. Some scientists consider this process absolutely essential for rain to fall. Genetic engineers are working on a strain of P. syringae that would not form frost on plants. Some scientists are concerned that these strains could conceivably cause serious climatic perturbations that inhibit rainfall and cause drought. Farmer’s fields are not the only places that are threatened. Scientists are looking for a way to destroy lignin, an organic substance that makes trees rigid, by use of a genetically engineered enzyme. They believe that it would be of use to clean up the effluent form paper mills or for decomposing biological material for energy. This poses a threat to forests because it could destroy massive amounts of them by eating away their lignin. We could end up with no trees. Engineers could try to create organisms with a â€Å"suicide† gene so they only live for a very short time, but they would be alive long enough to do damage. These engineers and busi nesses, like Pioneer, Sandoz, Imperial Chemical Industries, Dow, Ciba-Geigy, Monsanto, Upjohn, Elanco, and Pitman-Moore to name the leading corporations in agribiotechnology, don’t understand the impact that these engineeredShow MoreRelatedThe Effects of Genetic Engineering on Agriculture Essay1291 Words   |  6 PagesGenetic engineering is a way in which specific genes for an animal or plant can be extracted, and reproduced to form a new animal or plant. These new organisms will express the required trait for that gene. This practice is a very controversial topic within the scientific world. It is being implemented in various areas such as agriculture even though there are many alternatives that can be found for genetic engineered crops, such as organic materials and reducing leeching of the soil. The controversyRead MoreEssay about Should Genetic Engineering Be Controlled by Law?992 Words   |  4 PagesShould Genetic Engineering Be Controlled by Law? â€Å"Just as the success of a corporate body in making money need not set the human condition ahead, neither does every scientific advance automatically make our lives more meaningful† ( Professor George Wald, Noble Prize winning biologist, The Dangers of Genetic Engineeering 1976, p.45) . Genetic engineering is the direct manipulation of an organism’s genes. 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Furthermore, with the help of genetically modified organisms, scientists are now able to help prevent pollution, increase crop productivity, as well as aid in medicinal purposes. To begin, due to a past study that linked genetic engineering to the following possibilities such as stomach inflammation, the transferRead MoreEssay about Genetically Engineered Crops1506 Words   |  7 Pageswe could still greatly damage our ecosystems. The cause of this is simply because of the technological pollution caused by the use of genetically engineered crops. These plants are different in that they have had genes inserted into their genetic code, giving them added traits which are suppose to aid them in producing greater yield or defending against insects and disease, amongst other benefits. But their benefits are short-sighted; people around the world will eventually sufferRead MoreBiotechnology : Genetically Modified Foods1698 Words   |  7 Pagesto identify an individual), DNA cloning, IVF (in vitro fertilisation – conceiving a baby outside of the body), designer babies (baby whose genetic make-up has been specifically selected), transgenesis (introducing foreign genes into an organism), genome analysis, genetic modification (including genetically modified foods), stem cell research, tissue engineering (improving or replacing tissues) and also xenotransplantation (transporting organs or tissues between two different species). In forensicsRead MoreThe Food Industry And Industrialization Of Agriculture1085 Words   |  5 PagesThe corporate food industry and industrialization of agriculture today have revolutionized the growing and buying of food for farmers and consumers. To see how it has transformed the system, one can look at the effects industrial agriculture has caused. Economically, it creates million of jobs that keep people employed and keeps food affordable, but has regrettably created subsidies too. In terms of health, mass production of agriculture has created new health risks that endanger the lives of bothRead MoreApplication Of Genetic Engineering On The World1606 Words   |  7 PagesApplication of Genetic Engineering on Taro Adam Mohamed 10/23/2015 Introduction The field of genetic engineering is very promising, pertaining to the future of agriculture around the world. Research in this area is allowing for more and more improvements to the various aspects of a crop such as yield, visual quality, taste, nutritional value, disease immunity, and cold resistance, as well as many other benefits. A further understanding of both the genetics of crops and how to influenceRead MoreControvercy Over Genetic Engineering782 Words   |  3 Pages Genetic engineering is the use of various methods to manipulate the DNA of cells to change hereditary traits or produce biological products. The development of genetic engineering was discovered in 1968 by Swiss microbiologist Werner Arber. However, type II restriction enzymes, which are essential to genetic engineering for their ability to cleave a specific site within the DNA (as opposed to type I restriction enzymes, which cleave DNA at random sites), were not identified until 1969, when theRead MoreAnaly zing Genetic Modification And Gene Technology1279 Words   |  6 PagesSource- Analysis of sources Credibility This article is highly credible as the author of the article is a well-known and has spent years researching genetic modification and gene technology therefore it is expected to have some credibility. The credibility of the publishers cannot be guaranteed as it is not a very well-known publishing company. There is evidence of cross referencing and the article has been updated so it contains up to date information. Bias This article is partially biased