TY - GEN
T1 - Plant genetic engineering is a fact, it is an efficient and necessary breeding technique, and it is both a challenge and a solution that will be accepted by the public
AU - Altman, Arie
PY - 2003/9/30
Y1 - 2003/9/30
N2 - While the future of commercializing GM plants seemed doomed just two years ago, as the public concerns were approaching panic, especially in Europe, the global area of transgenic crops between 2000 and 2001 reached about 130 million acres towards the end of 2001, which were grown by 5.5 million farmers and represented a 19% increase during the year 2000 and a 30-fold increase since 1996. The use of GM crops and related R&D activities is likely to increase in the years to come because plant genetic engineering is an efficient and a practical breeding technique that enables more sustainable and improved production of quality food, and is more environmentally friendly. Most important, we are more aware of the potential risks, the biosafety issues, and are able to take all precautionary steps. Plant biotechnology has changed the horticultural scene in three major areas: Control over plant growth and development; Protecting plants against the increasing threats of biotic stress; Improving food, and producing biochemicals and pharmaceuticals. The major challenges ahead include: Alleviating the hazards of abiotic stress, foremost salinity, drought and extreme temperatures; Maintenance and improvement of the environment, both large open spaces and unique ecological niches (foremost forests, grasslands and savannas); Improvement of crop quality and design of ."specialty food", using biochemical engineering. This includes a shift from the production of low-priced food and bulk commodities to high-priced, special plant-derived products. Biotechnology cannot solve all problems, however, it is a most powerful technique that can and will be integrated with all classical breeding programs of many horticultural plants. The only criterion to evaluate the efficiency of genetic engineering will be its cost effectiveness, actual needs, and benefits to sustainable development.
AB - While the future of commercializing GM plants seemed doomed just two years ago, as the public concerns were approaching panic, especially in Europe, the global area of transgenic crops between 2000 and 2001 reached about 130 million acres towards the end of 2001, which were grown by 5.5 million farmers and represented a 19% increase during the year 2000 and a 30-fold increase since 1996. The use of GM crops and related R&D activities is likely to increase in the years to come because plant genetic engineering is an efficient and a practical breeding technique that enables more sustainable and improved production of quality food, and is more environmentally friendly. Most important, we are more aware of the potential risks, the biosafety issues, and are able to take all precautionary steps. Plant biotechnology has changed the horticultural scene in three major areas: Control over plant growth and development; Protecting plants against the increasing threats of biotic stress; Improving food, and producing biochemicals and pharmaceuticals. The major challenges ahead include: Alleviating the hazards of abiotic stress, foremost salinity, drought and extreme temperatures; Maintenance and improvement of the environment, both large open spaces and unique ecological niches (foremost forests, grasslands and savannas); Improvement of crop quality and design of ."specialty food", using biochemical engineering. This includes a shift from the production of low-priced food and bulk commodities to high-priced, special plant-derived products. Biotechnology cannot solve all problems, however, it is a most powerful technique that can and will be integrated with all classical breeding programs of many horticultural plants. The only criterion to evaluate the efficiency of genetic engineering will be its cost effectiveness, actual needs, and benefits to sustainable development.
KW - Abiotic and biotic stress
KW - Bioethics
KW - Biosafety
KW - Biotechnology
KW - Drought and salinity tolerance
KW - GM crops
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=77956776965&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.17660/ActaHortic.2003.625.51
DO - 10.17660/ActaHortic.2003.625.51
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AN - SCOPUS:77956776965
SN - 9789066052581
T3 - Acta Horticulturae
SP - 425
EP - 437
BT - XXVI International Horticultural Congress
PB - International Society for Horticultural Science
ER -