Plant Biotechnology

Over the past 25 years, terms like genetic modification, genetic engineering, recombinant DNA technology, and biotechnology have became commonplace in the news and in the public vocabulary. But biotechnology has in fact been practiced for thousands of years, with the aim of harnessing organisms for processing food and making useful products. Since the 1980s, however, recombinant DNA technology has given us the ability to modify organisms in the most fundamental way. The...
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Over the past 25 years, terms like genetic modification, genetic engineering, recombinant DNA technology, and biotechnology have became commonplace in the news and in the public vocabulary. But biotechnology has in fact been practiced for thousands of years, with the aim of harnessing organisms for processing food and making useful products. Since the 1980s, however, recombinant DNA technology has given us the ability to modify organisms in the most fundamental way. The modification of plants by these new techniques has unleashed a storm of public controversy worldwide. Plant Biotechnology brings perspective to the discussion. Tracing the history of biotechnology from its origins in antiquity, through its foundations as a science in the work of Louis Pasteur, to the birth of modern genetic engineering, this book describes traditional uses for plants, reveals how they are genetically engineered, and explains how new technology compares with conventional ways of generating new food plants. Readers will find that this accessible introduction dispels some of the myths surrounding genetic engineering, clearly presents the current impact and future potential of genetically modified plants, and provides a balanced look at the risks and benefits of biotechnology.