BIOTECHNOLOGY IN AGRICULTUREThe Future!

23rd of April, 2010 A presentation by Abubaker Siddiq Shekhani

Contents• Biotechnology• Areas of Applied Biotechnology• Conventional Methods

• Cross-Breeding & Hybridization• Modern Biotechnology• Biotechnology in Agriculture• Benefits• Issues & Concerns• Bio-Informatics in Agriculture• Biotechnology in Pakistan

WHAT IS BIOTECHNOLOGY?

‘United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity’, defines biotechnology as:

‘Any technological application that uses biological systems, living organisms, or derivatives thereof, to make or modify products or processes for specific use’

http://www.biodiv.org/convention/convention.shtml

Biotechnology• Biotechnology is more than just a single

technology

• It is a field of biology that involves the use of living things in engineering, technology, medicine, etc

• It includes working with the living cells and their molecules and has a wide range of uses to improve our lives

APPLIED AREAS OF BIOTECHNOLOGY

Conventional Methods

• Cross-Breeding & Hybridization

• Problems– Undesirable

characteristics in offspring

– Removing of undesirable traits is time-consuming

http://www.scientificblogging.com/humboldt_fellow_and_science/blog/recent_advances_plant_biotechnology_applications_agriculture

MODERN BIOTECHNOLOGYBiotechnological techniques for the manipulation of genetic material and the fusion of cells beyond normal breeding barriers

Biotechnology in Agriculture

• Genetic Engineering– Recombinant DNA– Example (Genetically Modified Crops)

http://maps.grida.no/go/graphic/graphicid/B9D85E99-D4C3-124C-D41C-CD13A3D47164

Genetic Engineering

• Genetically Modified Crop

http://www.cfs.gov.hk/english/programme/programme_gmf/programme_gmf_er_res2.html

BIOTECHNOLOGY: WHY IN AGRICULTURE

Responsible biotechnology is not the enemy; Hunger. Not have enough food at affordable prices; we cannot expect world health or peace

Knowlede Inn, Initials. (2010, Feb 09). “Biotechnology in agriculture.” Retrieved from http://kninn.blogspot.com/2010/02/biotechnology-application-in_09.html

Why in Agriculture

Source: www.wfp.org

BENEFITS

Benefits

Issues & Concerns

• Health Effects

• Ecological Risks

• Lack of Consumer Acceptance

• Food Safety Concerns

BIOINFORMATICS IN AGRICULTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY

Bioinformatics in Agricultural Biotechnology

• Genome Analysis

• Computational Analysis of Genome sequenced data

• Identification of sequenced gene & gene expression pattern

• Collection of databases helps in Genome Mapping

BIOTECHNOLOGY IN PAKISTAN

•Agriculture constitutes the largest sector of our economy

•It contributes about 24 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP)

•It accounts for half of employed labor force

•It is the largest source of foreign exchange earnings

Source: http://www.statpak.gov.pk/depts/fbs/statistics/agriculture_statistics/agriculture_statistics.html

Agriculture Subsector Share

Subsectors Shares

Crops 47.9

Livestock 49.6

Fisheries 1.6

Forestry 0.9

Source: Malik, Dr. Kauser. “Agricultural in Biotechnology potential for economic Pakistan: potential for economic development”

Biotechnology in Pakistan• Status

– Use of biotechnology in agriculture sector started in 1985– Currently there are 29 biotech centers

• Institutes and Universities– Pakistan Biotechnology Information Center (PABIC)– 29 universities and government institutes are working in the field of

biotechnology– Member of Convention of Biological Diversity, and World Trade Organization– Forman Christian College University, Lahore

• Research Centers– National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering– Center of Excellence on Molecular Biology

Source: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_7098/is_5_90/ai_n28490423/

Innovative aspects of Biotechnology and its better awareness and dissemination

Source: http://www.pabic.com.pk/PABIC-launched-TV-channel.htm

GM Crops DevelopmentCrop FeatureCotton -Diamondback moth resistance with Bt gene

- Virus (CLCuV) resistance with RNAinterference (RNAi)

Rice -Salt tolerance with Yeast and Arabidopsis Na+/H+ antiporter genes

- Bacterial blight resistance with Xa21 gene

Potato Virus resistance

Sugarcane -Insect resistance with Cry gene

- chloroplast transformationTomato -Male sterility through RNAi

- Virus (TLCV) resistance through RNAi

Source: Malik, Dr. Kauser. “Agricultural in Biotechnology potential for economic Pakistan: potential for economic development”

Conclusion

“Biotechnology is used in agriculture and the use of bioinformatics in agricultural

biotechnology provides useful and efficient methods”