Applications of rDNA technology in Agriculture

Dr. Y. Venkateswarlu,
Assistant Professor,
Dept. of Biotechnology,
Govt. City College (Autonomous),
Hyderabad, T.S.-500 002.
Email: venkibiotech@gmail.com
Abstract:
The genetic manipulation of plants has been going on since prehistoric
times, when early
farmers began carefully selecting and maintaining seeds from their best sow
for the next
season. Plant breeders have cross fertilized related plants to provide next
generation plants
with new characteristics such as higher yield, resistance to diseases and
better nutrient
content long before the science of genetics was developed. Recombinant
DNA technology can be used for insertion of genes in plants not only from
related plant species, but also from unrelated species such as
microorganisms. This process of creation of transgenic plants is far more
precise and selective than traditional breeding. Application of recombinant
technology is primarily for the production of transgenic plants with higher
yield and nutritional values, increased resistance to stress and pests. Several
commercially important transgenic crops
such as maize, soybean, tomato, cotton, potato, mustard, rice etc. have been
genetically
modified. During the last couple of decades, considerable progress has been
made to
understand the function of genes, isolation of novel genes and promoters as
well as the
utilization of these genes for the development of transgenic crops with
improved and new
characters.