We can define agricultural biotechnology, or "agbiotech", as the use of modern methods of molecular and cell biology for the improvement of crops. Although GM (ie transgenic) crops have been the best publicised products of agbiotech, it is important to appreciate that there is a whole host of modern biotechnological methods that have or will contribute significantly to more sustainable agriculture and more nutritious foods.

In this review (180kb), non-transgenic approaches to crop improvement, such as DNA marker-assisted selection, tissue culture, mass-propagation and genomics are examined. The current generation of GM crops is then assessed followed by a consideration of the potential future applications of agbiotech. This section focuses mainly on oil-based crops but many of the principles have wider application. Finally, there is a discussion about the possible development of new non-GM crops using advanced biotechnological methods.

The article concludes that "Plant biotechnology has made great strides over the past decade and has now emerged from its genesis in research labs into the mainstream of commercial agriculture, with well over 50 Mha of transgenic crops grown in 2002. The new genomic and post-genomic technologies have great promise for both conventional crop breeding and the engineering of new transgenic varieties. Hundreds of new genes have been cloned that have potential applications for traits as diverse as vaccine production and salt tolerance."

However, "If consumer acceptance of GM crops is to be regained in Europe, the agbiotech industry will have to come up with products that are so appealing that they can overcome the current reluctance and distrust the sceptical European public. It is still not obvious if there will be the "killer app" (to borrow a term from computer technology) of agbiotech, but such a breakthrough is sorely needed by the industry. Whether it is edible vaccines, biodegradable plastics, vitamin-enhanced staple foods or stress-tolerant crops that emerges as a "killer-app", or something quite new, remains to be seen. In the meantime, much work is necessary to update many of the basic technologies of transgene insertion and selection in plants in order to create more predictable and more stable position-specific, single-insertion events with the removal of all unnecessary DNA from the final plant. A more constructive engagement of companies with consumer groups would also be desirable, but independent scientists can also play an important role here. For example, a better-informed and educated public is more likely to understand the often-complex issues that surround plant biotechnology. Scientists also need to reach out more to explain both the benefits and the possible risks of all forms of crop manipulation, including but not necessarily confined to transgenesis."

In press for Applied Biotechnology, Food Science and Policy. Reproduced with permission.

Professor Denis J Murphy
Biotechnology Unit
School of Applied Sciences
University of Glamorgan

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