Applications of biotechnology in agriculture

Biotechnology has revolutionized agriculture by improving productivity, quality, and sustainability.

• Crop Improvement

Objectives:

• Development of high-yielding varieties
• Resistance to pests, diseases, and herbicides
• Abiotic stress tolerance (drought, salinity, cold)
• Enhanced nutritional quality (biofortification)
• Faster breeding cycles

Techniques Used:

• Genetic engineering (Bt crops, herbicide-tolerant crops)
• Marker-Assisted Selection (MAS)
• Tissue culture and micropropagation
• Genome editing (CRISPR, TALEN)

Examples:

Biofertilizers and Soil Health

• Microbial inoculants increase soil fertility.
• Replace 25–30% of chemical fertilizers.
• Sustainable and eco-friendly farming input.

Examples:

Biopesticides and Bio-Control Agents

Definition: Biological substances that control pests, weeds, and pathogens.

Examples:

Advantages:

• Non-toxic to humans
• No residue
• Maintain ecological balance

Animal Biotechnology; Used for improvement of livestock productivity, disease resistance, and reproduction.

Applications:

• Artificial insemination and embryo transfer
• Transgenic animals (for milk or vaccine production)
• Cloning (e.g., Dolly the sheep – 1996)
• Production of vaccines, hormones, and enzymes

Example:
Transgenic cow Rosie (1997) – produced milk enriched with human α-lactalbumin.

Environmental Biotechnology

Applications:

• Bioremediation: Using microbes to remove pollutants from soil or water.
• Phytoremediation: Plants used to absorb heavy metals.
• Waste management: Conversion of agricultural residues into compost and biofuel.

Examples:

• Pseudomonas putida → Degrades oil spills
• Brassica juncea → Absorbs heavy metals

Food and Nutritional Biotechnology

• Golden Rice – enriched with Vitamin A
• Protein-rich maize (QPM) – contains lysine and tryptophan
• Low-caffeine coffee and oilseed crops with better fatty acid composition

“Biofortification” = Improvement of nutritional quality through biotechnology or breeding.