"Frontmatter". In: Plant Genomics and Proteomics
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Christopher A. Cullis - Plant Genomics and Proteomics-J. Wiley & Sons (2004)
I O E T H I C A L
C O N C E R N S A N D T H E F U T U R E O F P L A N T G E N O M I C S O VERVIEW The increased understanding of the structure and function of plant genomes and the ability to manipulate those functions have far reaching implications; for example, the application of this knowledge for the improvement of crop plants is an important activity to ensure the world food supply. Many of the basic discoveries concerning the function of particular genes, and more specifically the characteristics conferred on an individual by a combination of specific alleles, can be included in conventional breeding techni- ques. However, the ability to transform plants and introduce genes from any source has opened a much more elaborate toolbox for considering and applying novel approaches to plant improvement. The same technology that has been used to confirm many of the conclusions about the function of particular genes, namely the development of transgenic plants, has also been extensively used in the development of new crop varieties, particu- larly those in which genes for herbicide and insect resistances have been introduced. Traditional plant breeding, which involves the development of new vari- eties by rounds of intercrossing and selection, has been very successful in improving the performance of crop plants. However, even if advantage is taken of using various parts of the world to complete multiple generations of breeding in a single calendar year, new varieties still take many years to develop and release. Therefore, both the potential of transgenic methods to circumvent many generations of backcrossing and the use of marker- assisted selection to improve the efficiency of the identification of the desired Plant Genomics and Proteomics, by Christopher A. Cullis ISBN 0-471-37314-1 Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 1 8 9 combination of genes have impacted plant breeding. In addition to the direct scientific impacts, the development of the molecular techniques has also siphoned support from traditional approaches to plant breeding, both in the actual breeding and in training in this area. Thus public funding support has been redirected away from conventional plant breeding and toward molecular genetic approaches (Knight, 2003). The situation becomes more involved when we consider that the trend away from public plant breeding efforts to commercial sector breeding programs has also altered the spectrum of crops and traits involved. However, windfalls of data can occur when these commercial programs are discontinued, such as the release into the public sector of the wheat EST data from Dupont when it discontinued its wheat breeding program. Because commercial breeding efforts are geared toward generating profits, the development of varieties that are suitable for growth in some of the challenging environments in developing countries will not necessarily be commercially attractive. Therefore, it is important that efforts are made to transfer the technical expertise to these countries, along with the infra- structure to enable the application of genomics discoveries to food security issues of the developing world. Public understanding of the science and technology underlying the pro- duction of transgenic crops is crucial to the future of this technology. Without the appropriate knowledge it will be impossible for the public to make objec- tive decisions regarding the pros and cons of genetically modified (GM) food production and consumption. This is clearly a challenge where science lit- eracy is relatively poor and a number of different factions are taking very disparate stands on both the safety and benefits of this technology. W HAT IS B EING G ROWN ? The two most common types of genes currently being used in transgenic crops for commercial production are those that confer herbicide resistance and insect resistance (Bt genes). Soybean, corn, cotton, and canola are the four major GM crops currently being grown. The amount of land devoted to growing GM crops has continued to increase (Figure 10.1). However, although GM crops were grown in 16 countries in 2002, just 4 countries (USA 66%, Argentina 23%, Canada 6%, and China 2.1%) accounted for 99% of the total global plantings (James, 2002). The major issues relating to genetically modified organisms (GMOs) fall into four general areas: 1. Safety, including: a. The safety of the product itself to the end user b. The risks of releasing the GMO into the environment 1 9 0 10. B I O E T H I C A L C O N C E R N S A N D T H E F U T U R E O F P L A N T G E N O M I C S 2. Trade issues: The acceptance or rejection of GM foods by a nation impacts import regulations. 3. Developing regulations for the testing and release of GMOs. 4. Who is, and/or should be, deriving benefit from GM products—the consumers, producers, farmers, and/or technology developers? Download 1.13 Mb. Do'stlaringiz bilan baham: |
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