BIOTECHNOLOGY

IN
PLANT
SCIENCE
Prepared by:
Balsomo, Jan Paul V.
Boyero, Gian Michael B.
 OBJECTIVES

 List the ways in which biotechnology, such as genetic engineering, is

currently being used in producing plants.

 Explain why insect control is so important in plant production.

 Describe how bacteria are used to create insect resistance in plants.

 Describe how plants are genetically engineered to prevent viral infections

 Describe he problems caused by weeds in crops

 Describe how crops can be made tolerant of climatic conditions

 OVERVIEW

 Background
 Insect Control through Biotechnology

 Sterile male insects

 Insect-resistant plants
 Disease-resistant crops
 Herbicide–resistant crops

 Climatic tolerance of crops

 Other uses of plants Biotechnology

 BACKGROUND

• Selective Breeding
-the process to produce edible, farmable plants that is directly
responsible for the abundant food supply.
- a method of plant improvement that has been successful over
thousands of years.
 Insect Control through Biotechnology

1. Sterile Male Insects

2. Insect-Resistant Plants
 A. Sterile Male Insects

 An effective way, using biotechnology, to control

insects by interrupting their life cycle.
 male insects are treated with radiation or any
other treatments to render them infertile.
 The process allows the males to still be able to
mate, but no offspring are produced.
 Also helps lessen the expenses of buying a lot
of pesticides and therefore helped in maintaining a
cleaner environment.
 B. Insect-Resistant Plants

 genetically altered crops that have a built-in

resistance to insects.
 fewer chemicals are used in crop protection
 purchase of pesticide in unnecessary.
 labor costs, fuel expenses, and machinery
operating costs are greatly reduced.
 BACILLUS THURINGIENSIS

 a soil-borne bacteria (commonly known as “Bt”)

 was discovered in 1911.
 a microorganism that secretes toxins that disrupt the
digestive process of insects but are nontoxic to
mammals and other warm-blooded animals.
 used for many years as an organic means of
controlling insects.
 BACILLUS THURINGIENSIS

 Plants modified to express insecticidal proteins from

Bacillus thuringiensis (provide a safe and highly
effective method of insect control). Bt-protected
corn, cotton, and potato were introduced into the
United States in 1995/1996 and grown on a total of
approximately 10 million acres in 1997, 20 million
acres in 1998, and 29 million acres globally in 1999..
 WHAT ARE BT CROPS?

 named after Bacillus thuringiensis(Bt), a bacteria

that naturally produces a crystal protein that is toxic
to many pest or insects.
 crops that are genetically engineered to produce the
same toxin as Bt in every cell of the plant, with the
goal of protecting the crop from pests.
 BENEFITS OF BT CROPS

1.Certain pesticides called “Systemic” are taken into the plant and
may be able to get at insect pest. However, this has three
problems:
a) Plants may not take enough of the insecticide to be effective.
b) Systemic pesticides are expensive
c) Systemic pesticides can be a problem with food crops.
*long withdrawal periods (time for the application of the pesticide until
harvest) may be required before systemic pesticides may be used.
 BENEFITS OF BT CROPS

2. Significant reduction of toxins called “mycotoxins”

 these very potent poisons are produced by a fungus
that grows on grains and other feedstuffs.
Bt gene helps in two ways:
i. less insect damage to the crop, which limits where
the fungus may infect the plant.
ii. the Bt toxins actually kills the fungus in the plant.
 Herbicide-Resistant Crops

Weeds
 are considered agricultural pest in
addition to insects and disease organism.
 compete with crop for soil nutrients
space and sunlight.
 harbor insects and disease organisms
that may spread to the crops.
 cause impurities in agricultural products.
 Herbicide-Resistant Crops

Herbicide
 a substance that is toxic to plants and is used to destroy
unwanted vegetation.

two types of herbicide:

a) Selective herbicide –control specific weed species,
while leaving the desired crop relatively unharmed
b) Non-selective or “knock-down herbicides” – can be
used to clear waste ground, industrial and
construction sites, railways and railway
embankments as they kill all plant they are applied
to.
 DISEASE-RESISTANT CROPS

Pathogen-derived Resistance
 Transformation of plants with portions
of viral genomes frequently gives rise to
lines of plants that are resistant to
bacteria, fungi and viruses.
 results in genetically engineered plants
that are immune to viral infection.
OTHER USES OF PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY

Agronomic traits- traits that increases crop

yields or make crop less expensive to grow.

Quality traits- are those that improve crop

value to the consumer, whether the crop will
be used to feed people or livestock.
OTHER USES OF PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY

Agronomic traits- traits that increases crop yields or

make crop less expensive to grow.

Quality traits- are those that improve crop value to

the consumer, whether the crop will be used to feed
people or livestock.
OTHER USES OF PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY

EXAMPLES OF PLANT-MADE PHARMACEUTICALS

1. Human pro-insulin made in canola seed
2. Tabacco cells used to produce vaccines and other
medecines
3. Carrot cells cultures are used to make complex
protein treatments for Gaucher and Fabry disease.

For complete list of agricultural biotech products refer to table 8-1, page 195 of
the reference.
 THE
END!!!