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Effects of transgenic plants
#1
What is difference between control weeds by transgenic plants, chemical herbicide and bio-herbicide? Chemical herbicide control weed through spray chemicals but how transgenic plants control weeds? I need our suggestion and share your idea.
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#2
The traditional way of controlling agricultural pests involves using pesticides to reduce crop loss. Millions of pounds of herbicides, insecticides, and other pesticides are used annually in the United States to reduce weed, insect, and fungus damage to crops. Genetic engineers produce transgenic plants in an attempt to reduce pesticide use while minimizing the need for farm chemical applications.

Transgenic crops are genetically enhanced with the genes from other organisms. For example, the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis produces a toxin called the Bt toxin, that is capable of killing many types of insect larvae. The gene programming for this toxin can be introduced and expressed in a variety of crop plants. The plants then gain the value of the toxin by killing insect larvae that feed on the crop. Scientists can also insert genes that protect plants against herbicides and prevent plants from dying due to frost and drought.

Genes destined for use in transgenic plants must first be isolated from the original organism. They must then be attached to a DNA or RNA vector. The vector provides a promoter to regulate the new gene and has a marker gene to show that the gene transfer is working. It is then inserted into cultured plants using a plant pathogen called Agrobacterium tumefaciens.

Monsanto Corporation was one of the first companies to make use of this technology by producing crop plants that are resistant to Roundup herbicide. The plants were designed to minimize the use of herbicides by allowing farmers to use the Roundup to kill all weeds at one time without harming the crop plant. Normally the Roundup would also kill the crop plant, so farmers could use this strategy without using the "Roundup Ready" crop.

In effect, the use of herbicides is reduced because fewer herbicide treatments are needed and only one type of herbicide is used to control the great variety of weeds in crops. Crops that produce natural pesticides, such as Bt toxin, which poisons caterpillars, do not need regular insecticide applications.

There are currently over 100 types of genetically engineered crops grown on farms throughout the world. Most of these are grown in the United States for animal and human consumption. Monsanto has produced corn, cotton, potatoes, and soybeans with genes from bacteria, viruses, and other plants that resist herbicides and pests. Aventis, Dupont, and some seed companies have produced other transgenic plants, including canola, chicory, flax, sugar beets, and tomatoes. Some university laboratories are working on transgenic trees for better paper production. All of these plants are grown or tested in fields that have wild weed relatives or native relatives nearby.

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Proponents of transgenic crops see the importance of readily producing crops that reduce the need for agricultural chemicals and contain traits for improved survival. They also see the technology moving more in the direction of producing more nutritional plants and crops that are capable of vaccinating domesticated animals and humans against severe diseases.

Biotechnology opponents oppose the use of transgenic plants in spite of the potential benefits. Their major opposition to the technology is the chance for horizontal gene transfer. Many opponents believe that the biodiversity of plants around agricultural areas can be severely damaged if transgenic genes enter the wild plant populations. In addition, they do not believe there will be a significant decrease in farm chemical use. The crops will still need some chemical applications to reduce pests that are not controlled by the transgenic plants. Most of the opponents agree that other technologies need to be pursued. They feel biotechnology is being accepted in fav
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