Search

Today, biotechnology is being used as a tool to give plants new traits that benefit agricultural production, the environment, and human nutrition and health. The purpose of this publication is to provide basic information about plant biotechnology and to give examples of its uses. Modern biotechnology is purported to have a number of products for addressing certain food-security problems of developing countries. It offers the possibility of an agricultural system that is more reliant on biological processes rather than chemical applications. The potential uses of modern biotechnology in agriculture include: increasing yields while reducing inputs of fertilizers, herbicides and insecticides; conferring drought or salt tolerance on crop plants; increasing shelf-life; reducing post harvest losses; increasing the nutrient content of produce; and delivering vaccines. The availability of such products could not only have an important role in reducing hunger and increasing food security, but also have the potential to address some of the health problems of the developing world. Plant breeding has been practiced for thousands of years, since near the beginning of human civilization. It is now practiced worldwide by individuals such as gardeners and farmers, or by professional plant breeders employed by organizations such as government institutions, universities, crop-specific industry associations or research centers. This book provides an authoritative review of many aspects of current interest and progress in the field of plant biotechnology that has been made in the recent past.