subject: Bio-technology [print this page] Bio-technology Bio-technology
BIO-TECHNOLOGY
Bio-Technology is a branch of biology which exploits biological process esp. using micro-organisms, in industry. Medicine etc.The term brings to mind many different things. Some think that the development of new types of animals. Others dream of almost unlimited therapeutic drugs from human sources. Still others consider the possibility of producing crops that are more nutritious and naturally pest-resistant to feed a rapidly growing world population. This raises almost as many answers to the first idea that there are people you can ask the question.
Another important benefit legacy of the twentieth century biotechnology was the discovery by Alexander Fleming (1928) of penicillin, an antibiotic derived from Penicillium mold. The large-scale production of penicillin was achieved in the 1940's. However, the revolution in understanding the chemical basis of cell function resulting from the emergence of molecular biology of the war was coming. Is this exciting phase of biology that led to the recent explosion of biotechnology.
WHY BIO-TECHNOLOGY
1- To meet the demands of growing population for food.
2- To introduce high yielding crop species, which give high yield per acre and productive species.
3- To introduce such varieties of crops, which are resistant to drought, climatic stress and other stress conditions.
4- To enhance cloning, to improve existing plant beneficial bacteria or to create new combinations of traits not present in nature.
5- The integrated use of bio-chemistry, microbiology and chemical engineering to achieve the technological application of the capacities of microbes and cultural cells.
6- The introduce new crops, suiting various climates.
7- In agronomic side, it can enhance herbicides tolerance, insect, fungal and virus resistance, generate genetic variability and introduce new corps.
8- To reduce the adverse effects of synthetic pesticides and to produce bio-pesticides which are selective in killing harmful insects or disease organisms. Some bio-pesticides are prepared form virus or microscopic fungi which cause diseases of insects. Another increasing interest is in preparing antifungal anti-biotic fungicide which selectively suppress weed growth
9- To increase production.
10- To introduce improved quality of seeds and plants.
11- To introduce plants resistant to disease &insect pests.
12- To introduce varieties suited to particular climates & soils.
13- To introduce varieties resistant to lodging.
14- To improve nutritional value of crops
15- To save rare varieties of plants by rapid clonal propagation for breeders to use in future.
