GroupIDP#0121

DanielleKelton,EndrePucora,AndrewLoverock,JustinMichael

Conclusion

Considering the evidence, it is clear that present agricultural methods are transitioning from current unsound ecological and environmental practices to a more sustainable model. With modern practices contributing to pollution, soil erosion and losses of biodiversity, society must find more efficient methods of producing food sources while minimizing resource consumption (Cutler 2010). Current requirements for water, land and soil nutrients are depleting the worlds stores of natural resources at an alarming pace (Pretty 2008). One strategy that has been proposed to combat these negative impacts is the use of transgenic approaches to pest management. In rice specifically, if these methods are managed correctly, they can lead to increased productivity and quality of crops while simultaneously diminishing the requirements for herbicide use (World Bank 2011). However, developing resistance in pests has become a major concern (Batterham et al. 2011). More research will be required to develop new methods for preventing widespread resistance in these populations (Narwal 2000). Transgenic approaches are also being investigated in light of the growing human demands for food. In addition to pest management strategies, these technologies have been used to increase nutritional quality of crops (Gura 1999). With rice becoming the staple food of vast numbers of individuals, overconsumption of rice is leading to nutrient deficiency in these populations, particularly vitamin A deficiency. In order to combat this worldwide health concern, transgenic modification of rice has produced species such as Golden Rice which contains precursors to vitamin A (Ye et al 2000).

GroupIDP#0121

DanielleKelton,EndrePucora,AndrewLoverock,JustinMichael

Conclusion

With the introduction of foreign genetic material to food sources, food safety questions have been raised as to whether this practice poses a risk to the consumer. Such risks could include unintended changes due to pleiotropic effects, the risk of gene transfer to the consumer, as well as a potential for allergenicity (WHO 2010, Dona, A. and Arvanitoyannis, I.S. 2009). Transgenic changes in rice, as in any other food source, rely on complex mechanisms which are not yet fully understood. (Dona, A. and Arvanitoyannis, I.S. 2009) As a result, each transgenic change must be assessed on a case-by-case basis through theoretical and experimental trials. If we are to achieve sustainability there is still much work to be done but transgenic approaches are providing reason for cautionary optimism.
References: Batterham P., Daborn PJ., Perry T. The biology of insecticidal activity and resistance. Insect Biochem Mol Biol. 44 283-348 (2011). Cutler, C. Attaining sustainability in agriculture. Sustainable Futures Spring 10-13 (2010). Dona, A. and Arvanitoyannis, I.S. Health Risks of Genetically Modified Foods. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 49, 164-175 (2009) Narwal, S. S. Weed management in rice: wheat rotation by allelopathy. Critical Reviews in Plant Sciences 19 249-266 (2000). Pretty, J. Agricultural sustainability: concepts, principles and evidence. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 363 447-465 (2008). Gura, T. Biotechnology. New genes boost rice nutrients. Science 285, 994-995 (1999). WHO 20 Questions on genetically modified foods. c2011.[Internet]Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization;[28 Mar 2010]. Available from: http://www.who.int/foodsafety/publications/biotech/20questions/en/ World Bank: Sustainable pest management: achievements and challenges. c2011 [Internet]. Washington (USA): World Bank. [26 Mar 2011]. Available from: http://info.worldbank.org/etools/docs/library/201658/783_Report.pdf Ye, X., Al-Babili, S., Kloti, A., Zhang, J., Lucca, P., Beyer, P. and Potryus, I. Engineering the provitamin A (beta-carotene) biosynthetic pathway into (carotenoid-free) rice endosperm. Science 287, 303-305 (2000).