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Agricultural biotechnology: Current products and future promise |
B. M. CHASSY, Biotechnology Center, Univ. of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, 1101 W. Peabody Dr., 238 NSRC, Urbana, IL 61801 Modern plant biotechnology is the most rapidly adopted new technology in the history of agriculture. Commercial biotechnology-derived crops were first harvested in 1996. In 2002, over 50 million hectares of these new varieties will be planted. Thousands of field trials of new varieties are underway throughout the world. In addition to improved varieties of agronomic crops such as maize, soybean, canola and cotton, bioengineered plant species as diverse as coffee, apples, tomatoes, peppers, squash and poplar trees are being evaluated. The majority of these new varieties possess improved “input” traits such as virus resistance, pest resistance or herbicide tolerance. While it has been shown that in many cases such varieties are more productive and more profitable for farmers to grow, the benefits to consumers such as decreased mycotoxin content in maize, dramatic reductions in the use of pesticides, a major shift to environmentally friend herbicides, and conservation of soil and water resources that have been documented as resulting from use of these new varieties are not so obvious to the consumer. Some products currently under development will, however, include quality traits that are intended to offer consumers higher value. Nutritional quality will be enhanced through manipulations of cholesterol, lipid, fiber and calorie content. New “heart-healthy” oils will appear, many with enhancements in the content of anti-oxidants and health-protective phytochemicals. Protein quality will be improved. Allergens will be removed. Microbial safety will be enhanced and shelf-life will be extended. And, flavor and texture will ultimately be improved. The introduction of pathways for the formation of b-carotene into rice has produced what has become known as “Golden Rice.” Golden Rice serves as a demonstration of the potential for the application of biotechnology to nutritional challenges in developing countries.
Session 34, Biotechnology to improve quality of fruits and vegetables: Potential, safety and consumer acceptability
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