Biotechnology in Agriculture

 Interest Approach o Would you ever think to infect a human with a virus in an effort to attack another disease?

Objective 3.02 - Understand biotechnology in the plant industry.  Biotechnology Basics o Biotechnology is the use of (microorganisms) to make new products or carry out new processes (solve problems). . New product – Yogurt . New Process –Tissue culture 

 Historic Applications of Biotechnology o to make bread rise o Bacteria to produce and other dairy products o Microorganisms to transform fruit or grains into alcoholic beverages o Use of bacteria to “produce” silage o bacteria used to produce insulin . It became created by genetic engineering

 Basic Genetics o The science of o . discovered the effect of genetics on plant characteristics with his experimentation with garden peas o Heredity . of characteristics from an organism to its offspring through genes in reproductive cells o Genes . Determine the individual characteristics of living things .

o Generation . the offspring, or , of common parents  Pea Plants  Heredity o What caused the passing of traits to offspring?

 Basic Genetics o DNA – .  a structure that holds the genetic information of a cell  DNA is wound tightly to form the chromosome . DNA ( )  coded material in all cell nuclei  determines what that cell and its successive cells will become  structure is that of a twisted ladder  . Gene 

 thousands of genes on a strand of DNA . Gene mapping  process of both finding and recording the

o Bases . Like rungs of a ladder that hold the two sides of the DNA strands together. . The bases are:  (A) - only pairs with “T”  (T) – only pairs with “A”  (G) – only pairs with “C”  (C) – only pairs with “G”  Example: o A – T o G – C o T - A . The sequence of the bases between the DNA strands is the code by which a gene controls a  Baldness in humans  The color of flowers on a plant

 Processes and Practices in biotechnology o Genetic engineering . developed in the early 1980’s . process of moving genetic information in the form of genes

o Gene splicing or Recombinant DNA technology . process of from one organism and inserting them into the DNA of another . Some examples are: 

 Make a plant to insects o Process in animals is newer and not as well developed

o Cloning (micropropagation in plants) . creating an of another organism

o Indicator species . one of the methods of biological detection. . uses plants, animals and microbes to warn us about in the environment

o . use living organisms to clean up toxic wastes in water and soil

o . Adding nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus to stimulate the growth of naturally occurring beneficial microbes . faster more efficient work

o . plant absorbs or immobilizing pollutants . First tested in the 1990’s

o Animal Reproduction and Production . improving the efficiency of reproduction and production involve the use of biotechnology . These are considered the more conventional uses of biotechnology o . Fuels composed of or produced from

 Importance of Recombinant DNA Technology o Improve plants’ and animals’ performance . The

o Alter characteristics or performance of microorganisms o Controlling disease, insects, weeds, and other pests .

. Potential for helping clean the environment

 Concerns with the use of Biotechnology o Safety . State and federal government monitor . Consumer resistance to new biotech food products remains high 

. Rapidly changing field, which when not fully understood  can create a fear of the . of genetically modified organisms (GMO) foods  many people feel if a product is safe it should be labeled  Concern has been expressed over the effect GMO’s may have on biodiversity

o Ethics . system

. defines what is right and wrong in a society . raises important ethical questions about how biotechnology should be used

 Scientific Method used in Biotechnology/Agriscience o Steps of the scientific method: 1. Identify the 2. Review literature 3. Form a 4. Prepare a project proposal 5. Design the 6. Collect the 7. Draw conclusions 8. a written report

 Biotechnology in the Plant Science industry

o Herbicide and insect resistant crops . Examples:  (Round-Up Ready Soybeans) o contains a gene that provides resistance to broad spectrum herbicides o Others being developed

 Insect- resistant corn ( ) o contains a built-in insecticidal protein o from a naturally occurring soil microorganism .

o gives season- long control of corn borers

 Crops with better nutrition and longer shelf life are products of genetic engineering o . genetically modified to produce nuts in high oleic acid . longer life for nuts, candy and peanut butter o High Oleic Sunflower . sunflower oil that is low in trans-fatty acids o Delayed- ripening . longer . commercial advantages in harvesting and shipping o Tissue culture .

. use of a very small actively growing parts of the plant . produces a large number of new plants  African violets  Venus Fly Traps

Objective 4.02 - Understand biotechnology in the animal industry.  Biotechnology in the Animal Science Industry o Animal cloning . For product  drumstick uniformity in the poultry industry . Saving species  New animals could be reproduced from the tissue of remaining animals . Research purposes  Genetically identical animals are better for research studies that try to isolate one variable

 Biotechnology in Animal Reproduction and Production o . A hormone produced in the pituitary gland of cattle . increases . Method of gene splicing genetic material into E. coli bacteria . Produced at relatively low cost . Dairy cows given BST will produce more milk

o (AI) . Process involves the introduction of the male sperm into the reproductive tract of a female . By means other than the natural mating process . Most of the cows in the dairy industry are produced through AI

o Embryo Transfer . Transferring of embryos from one female to another . One female can produce many calves in a year due to

. donor animal to release several eggs instead of just one . A superior female can be fertilized by genetics from a superior male . resulting embryos implanted into inferior female animals

 Examples of tools for use in Animal Science o Insemination rods and straws . used in artificial insemination to insert

o . used to examine sperm for artificial insemination o Liquid nitrogen tank . used to

Objective 5.02 - Understand biotechnology in the environmental science industry.  Environmental Biotechnology o Biotechnology is playing a large part in detecting and monitoring pollution and determining how much is present

 Environmental Biotechnology Examples o Indicator species . are widely used as environmental indicators or bio-indicators . If air is very badly polluted with sulfur dioxide, there may be no lichens present, just green algae may be found

o Bioremediation . Bacteria is used to clean up oil and fuel spills  Oleophilic ( ) bacteria used to clean up oil spills  Hanahan, SC, a suburb of Charleston, had an 80,000 gallon jet fuel leak from a military fuel storage facility o fuel entered the ground and the groundwater o Bacteria were successfully used to remediate this problem

o Biostimulation . The Exxon Valdez clean-up . Used the addition of nutrients . Feed the bacteria

o Biodiesel . made from oilseeds  Soybean  canola oil . proven to

o . Oregon Poplar Site (illegal industrial waste dumping site) . J-Field at Aberdeen Proving Ground( disposal site of chemical warfare agents, munitions and industrial chemicals) . used hybrid . remove VOC’s  volatile organic compounds from contaminated soil

o Genetic engineering . bacterial strains are under development to convert solid waste from humans and livestock into sugar and fuel

 Limitations of using bio and phytoremediation o . often considered slower than chemical techniques o . they do not apply to all situations o Fear . those who live near treatment sites often would rather have the contaminated soil removed than treated . Fear that the process will not uncontaminate the soil

Essay Writing  If you were a scientist, what world disease or problem would you be interested in researching and working to find a cure? How do you think biotechnology could help you in your research?

 Requirements:  2-3 pages, typed, double spaced, Times New Roman Font  Conduct research online and develop your essay.