Biotechnology for Sustainability

Global agriculture today is being challenged to produce greater amounts of food while striving to reduce pressure on land, water and fuel. As the population continues to increase, the world’s food supply needs to double by the year 2050 to keep up with demand. However, the amount of arable land is unlikely to increase during this time, as urbanization, saline soils and desertification are on the rise. New technologies including genetic modification of crops offers a means of addressing these environmental and economic constraints while putting well-tested and robust crops into the hands of local farmers.

      What is sustainability?
      What is genetic engineering?

Scientists around the world have been working diligently on means of producing crops with less required inputs for over three decades. Much advancement has been made to increase production while improving environmental protection, both through conventional breeding and the use of biotechnology.  Genetically engineered (GE) crop varieties offer many promising traits which will help increase health and nutrition, sustain farming on marginal lands and decrease concerns with pests and disease. Through the use of GE, a greater variety of traits can be incorporated into a particular crop in a more efficient and cost effective fashion than through traditional breeding alone. 

There are over 100 agricultural crops which have been genetically modified in research stations around the world. Five of the most promising traits which are being analyzed in numerous crops include:

1. Herbicide tolerance
2. Insect resistance
3. Stress tolerance
4. Nitrogen use efficiency
5. Nutritional traits

Additional information can be found in:
      Publications    
      Useful Websites
      News & Opinions
      Resources & Displays

This project is supported in part by the American Society of Plant Biologists Grant Awards Program.