09-28-2013, 06:39 AM
For the first time, foreign genes were introduced into the plants about thirty years ago. From that time the GM (genetically modified) crops have assured to deliver another green revolution by means of enhanced foods to feed the starve, fibres and fuels, facilitate farmers with profits and also encourage green environment. Currently, genetically engineered crops that carry a particular useful trait is grown over 170 million hectares in about 28 countries worldwide even though the there are disputes regarding the safety of GM foods.
Cold Tolerant
Unforeseen frost can cause devastation to seedlings that are sensitive. Therefore an antifreeze gene would allow these plants to tolerate the cold temperatures that would be fatal to the seedlings that are unmodified. For example, an antifreeze gene from cold water dwelling fish has been introduced into the plants such as potato and tobacco.
Drought Tolerant/Salinity Tolerant
More and more land is utilized for housing and industrialization as the population of the world increases. Due to this there will be less land available for crop cultivation and farmers need to grow crops in the locations that are unsuitable for plant cultivation. Therefore creating GM plants that can withstand drought or high salt concentration in the soils will help farmers to grow crops in inhospitable places. For example, Monsanto’s drought resistant corn (based on the bacterial gene cspB) will be the first commercially available transgenic drought tolerant crop that is planned to be released in 2013.
Pharmaceuticals
Scientists have engineered plants such as tomatoes, bananas to produce vaccines in their fruit. These edible vaccines will be much easier to transport, store and administer than traditional vaccines that needs to be injected.
Phytoremediation
Not all of the genetically modified plants are food crops. Groundwater and soil pollution continues to be a critical problem in most parts of the world. Plant varieties such as sunflowers, oilseed rape, mustard, barley and a variety of grasses have been genetically engineered to clean up heavy metal pollution from contaminated soil.
Cold Tolerant
Unforeseen frost can cause devastation to seedlings that are sensitive. Therefore an antifreeze gene would allow these plants to tolerate the cold temperatures that would be fatal to the seedlings that are unmodified. For example, an antifreeze gene from cold water dwelling fish has been introduced into the plants such as potato and tobacco.
Drought Tolerant/Salinity Tolerant
More and more land is utilized for housing and industrialization as the population of the world increases. Due to this there will be less land available for crop cultivation and farmers need to grow crops in the locations that are unsuitable for plant cultivation. Therefore creating GM plants that can withstand drought or high salt concentration in the soils will help farmers to grow crops in inhospitable places. For example, Monsanto’s drought resistant corn (based on the bacterial gene cspB) will be the first commercially available transgenic drought tolerant crop that is planned to be released in 2013.
Pharmaceuticals
Scientists have engineered plants such as tomatoes, bananas to produce vaccines in their fruit. These edible vaccines will be much easier to transport, store and administer than traditional vaccines that needs to be injected.
Phytoremediation
Not all of the genetically modified plants are food crops. Groundwater and soil pollution continues to be a critical problem in most parts of the world. Plant varieties such as sunflowers, oilseed rape, mustard, barley and a variety of grasses have been genetically engineered to clean up heavy metal pollution from contaminated soil.
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