Most of the low productivity in agriculture is as a result of insect pests, diseases and weeds (Oerke 2006). Out of the total available production of 568.7 billion worldwide, they caused an estimated loss of US $243.4 billion in 8 major fixed crops (42%). Amongst these insects cause an estimated loss of 90.4 billion, diseases 76.8 billion and weeds 64.0 billion (Sharma et al. 2002a). Insect’s pests and diseases have the potential to cause 52, 58, 59, 74, 83 and 84 percent loss in wheat, soybean, maize, potato, rice and cotton respectively (Sharma et al. 2001). In the 5 mandate crops of the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), the biotic and abiotic stress factors have been estimated to cause a loss of …show more content…
2014). Losses due to biotic stress factors have been estimated at $2.19, 0.51, 1.15, 1.53 and 3.10 billion in sorghum, pearl millet, pigeon pea, chick pea and groundnut respectively (Sharma et al. 2001). Abiotic Stress factors such as moisture stress are maximum loss in yield followed by insects, plant pathogens and weeds in sorghum and pigeon pea while diseases are more important than insects and weeds in pearl millet, groundnut and chickpea (Pinstrup-Andersen and Cohen 2000; Sharma et al. 2002a).
NEED FOR APPLICATION OF BIOTECHNOLOGY IN PEST MANAGEMENT
Massive application of chemicals to reduce the extent of losses due to insect pests, diseases and weeds result in adverse effects on the biological organisms leaves toxic chemical residues in the food and ends up as environmental pollution. These pesticides are not highly selective, 50% of these often reached the non-target crops that are useful to the ecosystem,
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2000; Uneke 2007). Additionally to widening the pool of helpful genes, gene-splicing also permits the utilization of many desirable genes in an exceedingly single event and reduces the time to introgress novel genes into elite background (Eakin et al. 2014; Mugo et al. 2013). Biotechnology has provided many distinctive opportunities which include: access to novel molecules, ability to change the amount of gene expression, capability to vary the expression pattern of genes and develop transgenic with completely different insecticidal genes (Sharma et al. 2000). Genes conferring resistance to insects have been inserted into crop plants like maize, cotton, potato, tobacco, rice, broccoli, lettuce, walnuts, apples, alfalfa and soybean (James 2003). There has been a vast increase in area planted with transgenic crops from 1.7 million ha in 1996 to 39.5 million ha in 1999 (Eakin et al. 2014; Mugo et al. 2013). In 1997, transgenic crops were fully grown in twelve countries and most of the land planted with genetically improve crops were in just five developed countries (Australia, Canada, Argentina, China and United States) with the United States alone accounting for 80% of the area (James 2003). Some of the developing countries are undergoing the research on transgenic crops
2.21 PESTICIDES Manahan (19..) discusses pesticides as water pollutants. DDT was introduced after World War II which accelerated pesticide use. Manahan (19..) states that by the mid-1990s agricultural use of pesticides was over 300 million kg per year and millions more kg of pesticides were used in non-agricultural applications. Manahan: Insecticides such as diazinon, carbaryl and chlorpyifos are most commonly found in water.
There is always opposition to pesticides because of the harm that it can cause on the environment and the animals alike. Pesticides though have saved a lot of hard work for farmers over the past couple of decades because it does all the dirty work, for example, the killing of weeds and other pests. Pesticides have also saved a lot of money for farmers by preventing pests from damaging crops or taking the nutrients and water supply away from crops. (Whitford, 7) In the future we need to start to find less toxic ways to prevent pests from attacking the crops and vegetation. This would prevent a lot of the other costs associated with pesticides for example, health costs for farmers that are exposed to the toxic chemicals or the killing of the habitats in the surrounding areas.
On the other hand, pesticides are used for some kinds of practical applications. As a matter of fact, these pesticides can actually keep crops from spoiling and also keep pests from damaging crops that are used for crops
In the essay ‘’Why Organic Foods Are Worth the Cost,’’ author Alex Garcia discusses organic foods. She explains how organic foods are produced without using most chemical pesticides, fake fertilizers, genetic engineering, and radiation. Organic food including meat, poultry eggs, and dairy products, the animals are not raised with antibiotics and growth hormones. This makes the food organic, or natural. Garcia explains that organic food does cost up to 50% more than non-organic food.
Bees vs Pesticides Argumentative By:Amaja Grimm Bees work to pollinate and make honey, that is why we need to stop using pesticides. The chemicals in the pesticides are toxic to not only wasps, flies, and other pesky insects the pesticides are also toxic to bees. Bees pollinate at least one third of the world’s flowers and other pollinated plants such as pears, apples, cherry, cantaloupe, almonds, blueberries, cranberries, kiwi, plums, carrots, and some other plants too. We need to stop using pesticides wild pollinators, which include bees, wasps, beetles, flies, butterflies, moths, birds, bats, and even some non-flying mammals, have suffered and dies from the chemicals.
For hundreds of years, ladybugs have been greatly appreciated by farmers. Ladybugs will feed on the crop-damaging insects such as caterpillars, and, essentially, save the crops. Unfortunately, many of the farmers that work in colder climates cannot use ladybugs to keep their crops alive because the insects live only in warmer climates. Thankfully for them, there are some organic pesticides that keep the ladybugs alive, even in cold climates! These pesticides allow ladybugs to eat all of the insects that farmers don’t enjoy having around.
With this result, a majority of crops may be lost. According to Justin Moyer, a reporter at the Washington post, “The USDA estimated that honeybees add more than $15 billion to the value of the country’s crops per year” (Moyer 1).The honey
Colony collapse disorder is affecting the honey bees in a big way. In a few short years the population has significantly dropped. The math says that if you lose 30 percent of your bee colonies every year for a few years, you rapidly end up with close to 0 colonies left. The most common factor that many scientists say has been a large contributor to the decline of the honey bees is the amount of stress being put on them. Many researchers have found through the tracking of honey bee activity that they have been forced to go find food or pollen at a young age, ultimately collect less pollen, and die far earlier than generations before.
In my food?...WHY? Do you want to have an allergic reaction every time you eat something that you favor? How about the question why is it going on , how it’s happening, but you’re not eating the food you’re allergic to? What if I say the scientists and factories are genetically putting genes in one organism to another for the past 10 years. I feel this should have an end to it making us American sickly nationwide.
“In the genetic engineering process, scientists splice a specific gene that exhibits certain traits into a plant to create new artificial characteristics in organisms” (Burgaard; Streker). The resulting organism is considered GM, or genetically modified. The desired traits currently being practiced through genetic engineering are insect resistance, weed control, and improved nutritional content (Turner). The
Extensive Registration and Safety Process Pesticides are one of the most extensively regulated chemicals on the market (Chandler et al., 2011). Yet, many believe more regulations should be placed on these products. Regulation on pesticides and herbicides is a governmental practice (Pelaez, da Silva, & Araújo, 2013). Registration of pesticide products is a scientific process. Through this process, chemicals undergo a variety of tests to assess effects the product may potentially have on humans as well as the environment.
more healthy and enriched on nutrients and proteins. All of that is achieved by transferring genes from other plants that contain traits that can help that plant produce more proteins and nutrients. In the article “GMOs play important role on food security, nutrition” Dr. Milton Stokes states that “scientist have demonstrated that genetic modification can be used to increase the amount and stability of crop’s nutrient levels such as provitamin A, iron and zinc” (Reganit). Dr. Stokes’ point is that with these new advances in biotechnology scientist can make vegetables, fruits and any crops a lot healthier. This is proof that GMOs are definitely not a hazard to anyone.
Gene splicing allows scientists to take traits from the most unlikely organisms and include them in the DNA of common plants to find new and desirable benefits (University of
Imagine entering your local food store and seeing that items most people eat everyday have been discontinued. Items such as coffee, apples, cucumbers and honey are no longer available to consumers. This may not be possible in our generation, but one day it could very well happen. My name is Matt Shaw from the Millsap FFA, and I am here today to talk to you about a major issue that is facing agriculture, the honeybee population.
1. If you were Monsanto’s CEO, how would you best balance the conflicting needs of the variety of stakeholder groups that Monsanto must successfully engage? Monsanto has improved in terms of its corporate responsibility; however it does not maintain the most ethical culture possible. Monsanto is in a difficult position, as it produces products that many people do not understand or trust. The corporation also does much business in very poor countries where it is very easy for critics to accuse Monsanto of taking advantage of people who do not know any better.