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Let us have an insight on the role of biotechnology in the agricultural sector. Improvement of important crops can be achieved using the biotechnological tools like tissue culture techniques, genetic engineered seeds and molecular biological techniques. Using biotechnological approaches not only overall yield, nutritive values of the product gets improved, but crop variant resistant to abiotic and biotic stress can also be produced (draught, pests and disease resistant). Thus, overall biotechnology not only helps in producing better crops, but also helps in reducing toxic chemicals in the form of pesticides and fertilizers. So, environmental pollution, including soil, air and water get reduced with the help of biotechnological approach.
But there are also many potential risks involved in using biotechnology in agriculture for both human health and the environment. Often genetically modified crops produce new proteins which may pose as an allergen to certain human population. It is still not entirely possible to monitor the insertion of new genes to a particular position of DNA, thus formation of new protein and subsequent allergen to the food chain remains a worry.
Use of antibiotic resistant genes as markers often results in the incorporation of these markers to the human pathogens after consumption of these foods and thus making the pathogen resistant to the antibiotics. Wrong insertion of the desired gene may interfere with many important existing pathways of the plant.
Moreover, we still do not know the consequence of these gene incorporations as a long term effect on human health. So, proper caution should always advisable before consumption of GMF.
Regarding environmental concerns one should seriously consider the potential of production of herbicide resistant weeds due to biotechnological approach in the same field where the desired crops are produced. Similarly, wild herbs and pests may get added advantage over the desired crops and pose a serious threat to the environment. The toxic new proteins which are a threat to human population can have a similar effect to wildlife consuming the plants. Even development of a new strain of microorganisms and viruses is possible due to genetically modified crop production.
Though there are many advantages of using biotechnology in agriculture sector, there are still a lot of potential threats which may pose as major disadvantages of using biotechnology in agriculture. The approach is still in its early stages and scientists have to go a long way to make this a complete success. The consumer awareness will also prove to be a decisive factor in making the biotechnological approach a success in agricultural sector.