PLT 302 Technology Innovations in Agriculture David W. Still dwstill@csupmomona.edu 8 February 2012
The most difficult subjects can be explained to the most slow- witted man if he has not formed any idea of them already; but the simplest thing cannot be made clear to the most intelligent man if he is firmly persuaded that he knows already, without a shadow of doubt, what is laid before him. Leo Tolstoy
Without data, its only an opinion. Science draws conclusions based upon experimentally-derived and observational data. Data are used to develop, support and refute hypotheses.
Background papers - available at Still web site 1. Fedoroff 2010. Radically rethinking agriculture for the 21 st century. Science 327:833-834 2. James 2011. Global status of commercialized biotech/gm crops:2011 ISAAA 3. National Research Council 2010. The impact of genetically engineered crops on farm sustainability in the United States. National Academies Press 4. Lemaux 2008, 2009. Genetically engineered plants and foods: A scientist s analysis of the issues. (Part 1 & Part 2)
Agriculture Food Fiber Feed Biofuel?
Technology is useful, and needed. 1. All food, fiber and commercial forestry products have been domesticated and bred.
Progenitors of.
Phenotypic diversity of tomato fruit Paran, I. et al. J. Exp. Bot. 2007 0:erm257v1-257; doi:10.1093/jxb/erm257 Copyright restrictions may apply.
Maize diversity (transposable elements) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/file:corncobs.jpg
Iceberg and romaine lettuce
Is food security an issue?
The Comforts of Millionaires RESTAURANT REVIEW Crown NYT top pick NYT 7 Feb 2012
The Comforts of Millionaires RESTAURANT REVIEW Crown NYT top pick NYT 7 Feb 2012
The Comforts of Millionaires RESTAURANT REVIEW Crown NYT top pick NYT 7 Feb 2012
Preparing for a wedding feast Beef biriyanis, Lamu Island, East Africa http://www.saveur.com/article/kitchen/preparing-an-east-african-feast
Technology is useful, and needed. 1. All food, fiber and commercial forestry products have been domesticated and bred. 2. All crops have been genetically modified. 3. Objectives of breeding: - increase yield - improve quality - increase profit - reduce environmental impact 4. Agriculture has profound effects on the environment
Agriculture s impact on biodiversity Farmland bird index population size from 1970 to 2005, with future projections Benton 2007, Science
Agriculture s impact on biodiversity 1. Biodiversity and ecosystem function are linked 2. Biodiversity is inherently valuable based on economic, socio-cultural and aesthetic grounds 3. Biodiversity loss has occurred across all ecosystems 4. Many of the drivers of biodiversity loss are linked with Ag 5. Ag production is predicted to double by 2050 6. There will be more regulation and studies 7. More risk assessment Bulter et al 2007, Science 315:381-384
# per day - globally # per year - globally ~ 78.5 million people added each year (> population of England, France or Thailand ) 300 400,000 250 350,000 200 150 100 # born # die 300,000 250,000 200,000 150,000 # born # die 50 100,000 50,000 0 0 7 billion and counting U.S. Census Bureau estimates
What is the Green Revolution? Borlaug: It started in the 1940s when I joined a new program, funded by the Rockefeller Foundation, aimed at assisting poor farmers in Mexico to increase their wheat production. We spent nearly 20 years breeding high-yield dwarf wheat that resisted a variety of plant pests and diseases and yielded two to three times more grain than traditional varieties. http://www.actionbioscience.org/biotech/borlaug.html
In Africa, Prosperity From Seeds Falls Short The seeds are a marvel, producing bountiful, aromatic rice crops resistant to drought, pests and disease. But a decade after their introduction, they have spread to only a tiny fraction of the land here in West Africa where they could help millions of farming families escape poverty. By CELIA W. DUGGER Published: October 10, 2007
Cereals provide > 60% of the world s calories. Where are cereals grown? http://www.nationmaster.com/index.php
Hybrid rice, Africa
Hybrid rice, Africa
Hybrid rice, Africa
Hybrid rice, Africa
Breeding with DNA-based markers
Sequencing technology is revolutionizing plant breeding
There are limits 299 792 458 m / s - not only a good idea it s the law!
Domestication and breeding reduces genetic (allelic) diversity Tanksley and McCouch 1997, Science
PLT 302 Technology Innovations in Plant Science Biotechnology is the science of modifying the genetic composition of plants, animals, and microorganisms. Historically, biotechnology has relied on conventional plant and animal breeding practices to modify genetic composition. http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/biopesticides/reg_of_biotech/eparegofbiotech.htm
Biotechnology from the POV of biotech companies!
Agricultural biotechnology from the POV of the public From N. Stewart
http://www.ers.usda.gov/data/biotechcrops/
What are the farm-level impacts of the adoption of genetic-engineering technology? Evidentiary standard using peer-reviewed literature Sustainability requires evaluation of environmental, economic and social impact of GE crops.
What is a biotechnology crop?
All biotechnology products contain recombinant DNA rdna
The making of golden rice
Golden Rice I. II. I. Different types of Golden Rice A. 1. Untransformed 2-4. single-transformant lines B. Co-transformant lines II. Carotenoid content of (A) control seeds, (B) single transformant; (C) z11b co-transformant (D) z4b co-transformant III. Structure of T-DNA region of pzpsc used in co-transformations. Abbreviations: LB-left border; RB-right border;! polyadenylation signal; p-promoters; psy phyotene synthase; ctrl-bacterial phytoene desaturase; lcy-lycopene B-cylcase; tp transit peptide. III. Ye et al. 2000. Science 287:303-305.
Risk assessment
Agricultural Biotechnology Environmental Risks
Agricultural Biotechnology Insect resistance - laboratory studies found high mortality of Monarchs - studies found very little mortality close to corn fields - however, acquisition of tolerance is a concern
Agricultural Biotechnology Insect resistance Problem: Resistant genotypes will develop Solutions: - use of refugia (20-50%) - use multiple forms of Bt (>100 Cry proteins) - design synergistic Bt for increased efficacy
Agricultural Biotechnology Allergens & Immunity - potential toxicity or allergenicity from transgenic protein - use database of known allergens; 10 food types account for 90% of the severe food allergies in the western hemisphere (e.g. peanut, soybean, wheat, cows milk, egg )
Herbicide resistance Herbicide Trade name Transgenic crops Bromoxynil Buctril cotton, potato, tobacco Glyphosphate Roundup sugar beet, corn, cotton, lettuce, canola, soybean,tobacco, tomato, wheat Glufosinate Liberty, Ignite alfalfa, sugar beet, corn, barley, melon, peanut, rice, canola, soybean, tomato, wheat PPO inhibitors Acuron sugar beet, corn, cotton, canola, rice, soybean, sorghum, wheat
Agricultural Biotechnology Roundup facts: - broad spectrum - Shikimate Pathway - glyphosate blocks key enzyme (PEP) - found only in plants - low probability of developing tolerance
Herbicide Resistance - Environmental Safety Superweeds are a known potential risk Domesticated plants cross with wild relatives - of 13 most important food crops, 12 cross with wild plants in their distribution - Brassica spp. varies b/t 0.5 to 5 % Ellstrand et al., 1999
Herbicide Resistance - Environmental Safety Superweeds Problem - Trait is transferred through pollen Solutions - Insert gene into chloroplast genome - Use different herbicide on superweed
Agricultural Biotechnology Insect resistance Bacillus thuringiensis a bacterium that produces toxins (Cry proteins) against insects Transgenic crops - cotton, corn, potatoes, rice, soybeans, lettuce, walnuts, apples, alfalfa E.M. of Bacillus
Agricultural Biotechnology Resistance to antibiotics?
Agricultural Biotechnology Allergens - are large, complex molecules - survive the digestive tract intact - can trigger allergies after further processing No evidence that proteins from gmo s have triggered allergies
Banana bunchy top virus may end production
Papaya ringspot virus threatens production Biotechnology saved it!
Is biotechnology regulated? Safety Regulations regulation of plants and foods created through agricultural biotechnology is handled by three federal agencies: USDA, which is responsible for ensuring that new varieties are safe to grow; EPA, which is responsible for ensuring that new pest-resistant varieties are safe to grow and consume; and FDA, which is responsible for ensuring that new varieties are safe to consume
Agricultural Biotechnology Conclusions 1. No technology is without risk - theories can never be universally proven 2. Environmental risk may be the greatest concern (ecological complexity)
Are there any intact ecosystems left?
Duke and Powles 2008; Pest. Manag. Sci. 64: 319-325
Figure 2. Evolved glyphosate-resistant species worldwide. Data plotted from the website of Ian Heap: http://www.weedscience.org/in.asp. Duke and Powles 2008; Pest. Manag. Sci. 64: 319-325