Biotechnology in the Plant Industry AU

Plant Biotech Biotech Basics

Biotechnology The use of living organisms (microorganisms) to produce new products or carry out new processes (solve problems) New Product –Yogurt New Process –Tissue culture (plant prop technique)

Biotechnology Early Examples… Yeast… Bacteria = cheese Microorganisms to transform fruits/grins into alcoholic beverages Bacteria to produce silage

E. Coli Bacteria that was genetically engineered to produce insulin

Insulin One of the first commercial products created from genetic engineering

Plant Biotech Basic Genetics

Gregor Mendel Studied the effect of genetics using the pea plant He created the study of Heredity

Genetics The Science of heredity

Heredity The transmission of characteristics from an organism to its offspring

Genes The components of cells that determine the individual characteristics of living things Found in DNA

Progeny The offspring of common parents

BIOTECH BASICS

DNA Deoxyribonucleic Acid Found in all living things The genetic code of life Coded material in a cell that determines what the cell will become Shaped like a ladder

Gene One section of DNA Thousands of genes on a strand of DNA

Gene Mapping Process of finding and recording the locations of genes Can identify parents or offspring

Genetic Alphabet Adenine, Guanine, Cytosine, and Thymine Bases connect the strands that make up the double helix

Pairings Guanine with Cytosine Adenine with Thymine

Mapping Examples Baldness in humans Height of plants Tendency of twins

BIOTECH PRACTICES AND PROCESSES

Genetic Engineering Discovered in the early 1980’s Movement of genes to different cells to modify genetic make-up

Gene Splicing Recombinant DNA (rDNA) technology Process of removing genes from one organism and inserting them into DNA of another organism Manipulates the genetic contents of cells

Gene Splicing / rDNA Technology IMPROVES Plant & Animal Performance: Alter a plant susceptibility to disease Create insect resistant plants Alter bacteria to increase meat production (animal processes still being developed)

Clone When an offspring is the exact duplicate of its parents

Indicator Species One of the oldest methods of biological detection Uses plants, animals and microbes to warn about pollutants

Bioremediation Use of live organisms to clean toxic waste in soils and water

Biostumulation Adding nutrients (nitrogen/phosphorous) to the soil to stimulate microbes

Phytoremediation Using Plants to absorb pollutants

Biofuels Fuels produced from biological raw materials

IMPORTANCE OF RDNA TECHNOLOGY

Recombinant DNA Improves plants’ and animals’ performance through the manipulation of genes Alter characteristics/performance of micro organisms Less use of pesticides – Round-up Ready Soybeans Potential for cleaning the environment

Plant Biotech Biotech Safety

Biotech Safety Monitors State government Federal government

Consumer Resistance Due to health/safety concerns Biotech is rapidly changing and can create fear of the unknown

Genetically Modified Labeling People feel GMO’s (genticaly modified organisms) should be labeled of they are safe. Feelings?

Biotech Ethics Moral principals that define what is right and wrong Is it right to modify living organisms?

Scientific Method Used to solve problems and check for biotech safety. How many steps? 8

Scientific Method Identify Problem Review Literature Hypothesis Project Proposal

Scientific Method Design Experiment Collect data Draw Conclusions Write Report/Conclusions

Biotech Tested in… Laboratories Greenhouses Enclosures

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Genetically Altered Plants Resist Drought Insects Disease

Herbicide and Insect resistant plants Herb. resistant plants –“round-up ready” Insect resistant plants –Bt Corn –insecticidal protein from soil organism –Bacillus thuringiensis –Protects from corn borers

Crops with better nutrition / longer shelf life High Oleic Peanut –High oleic acid in nuts increase shelf life High Oleic Sunflower –Modified to produce sunflower oil that is low in trans- fatty acids Delayed ripening tomato –Flavr-Savr

Newest Lee-minus –Altered bacteria to retard frost formation on plant leaves Developing bacteria to convert solid waste (humans and livestock) into sugar and fuels

Tissue Culture Using a very small part of a plant to produce a large number of plants

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