Few days ago, in the first instalment of Technology in Agriculture- Biotechnology in Livestocks (Agric-tech) where we discussed Biotechnology in Livestock; it was clear that technology can satisfy all forms of life. Either you are a vegan, a forager, a wildling or an animal right activist.

One of the outstanding advantages of Technology in Agriculture is Greener Agriculture. This simply indicates a more Eco-friendly system of agriculture that had been adopted which promotes cleaner land, Clean Air, Pure Water and a bio-energy resources. Technology in agriculture had disputed the predicted challenges synonymous to farming that climate changes and over population had threatened.

Adopting this technology has decreased food security threats to some minimal extent and nourishment is proportional to it. More insect and pest resistance crops and grains has been engineered and optimized in various countries around the world. The optimization of technology in food production (Crops, seeds and its derivatives) are briefly discussed in this episode.

CASE STUDY

In the year 2007, Bio-technology seeds and crops farmed on 274 Million acres of land yielded 31.3 Billion pounds decrease in CO2 emission. This is an equivalent of 6.3 Million Cars not functioning on the road for a whole year........... Sharon Bomer Lauriten, BIO's Executive VP for Food and Agriculture.

This is a fact enough to encourage the application of Bio-technology in farming because in the process, a sustainable environment is boosted, and more Eco-friendly communities will emerge.

APPLICATIONS

EDITTED GENOME

This system was used to engineer herbicide resisting Crops/Seed which helps farmers to aid weed control. It is a a process that involves using enzymes to modify the cell of a crop's DNA.

CROSS-BREEDING

Crop produce quantity and quality had been improved by mating a pair of compatible species to produce a more advance species and still possessing the wanted characteristics. This process had yielded most hybrid fruits and crops.

MUTATION OF GENE (MUTAGENESIS)

Ruby-Red Grape fruit

The Ruby-Red grape fruits was engineered through this process. It is the induction of radioactive isotopes in random mutated species of seeds and crops. This sometimes yield the desired result just like the Ruby-Red.

POLYPLOIDY

This process had produce watermelon without seeds (Seedless Watermelon).

A 4-set Chromosome Watermelon is crossed with a 2-set Chromosome Watermelon= A no seed Watermelon

FUSING PROTOPLAST

This is the transfer of traits between pairs of species by joining cell components. Hybrid crops are also produce from this process just like Crossbreeding process.

RNAi

The process is simple known as the RNA- ribonucleic acid interference. It involves making a gene weaker by turning off the RNA to protein mechanism in plants.

TRANSGENICS

Rainbow Papaya

The Rainbow Papaya was born out of this process of inserting a piece of DNA inside another DNA of an organism, this is done to reintroduce a brand new gene in the parent organism.

ADVANTAGES OF BIO-TECHNOLOGY IN CROP FARMING

• One of the advantages of technology in Livestock farming we didn't mention in the last post is the reduction in Animal waste, the advent of technology in producing Animals had reduce the vast concentration of Animals and their waste products which constitute to air pollution.

• Another one of the many advantages of technology in animal farming is the improved feeding for livestock due to advancement in the nutritional supplements.

• Massive improvement in farm produce, this has decrease the many pressure to utilize vast plots of lands that can be valuable for other purposes.

• Emergence of high tolerant seeds and crops that requires little or no tilling of farm land before harvesting.

• Crops resistance to bugs and insects has increased.

• Tolerance in temperature in some crops e.g. Papaya, to withstand tow different harsh temperature conditions without dying.

• It has also improved soil qualities due to lesser land/soil movement during tilling, which causes erosions and emission of CO2.

• Agricultural technology has produced crops that requires less pesticides and crops that can survive harsh environmental conditions.

• It has also reduced cost and labour on farm lands i.e. manpower to fumigates and cultivate the soil is reduced to the lowest.

• On- farm energy is drastically reduced due to this advancement in Agricultural Technology.

• Zero tilling farming system has also reduced the gas emissions from Green houses.

Now we all can see how Technology has cut across various forms of Farming. Thanks for reading.

Image Sources: 1, 2, 3 and 4

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Sources: 1, 2, 3