Where
would we have been had it not been for the discovery of the art of collecting
seeds and cultivating them for food? Life would surely have been very different!
Early
man was a food gatherer, depending on nature for all his needs. He gradually
moved on to being a food grower with the discovery of agriculture, and settled
down in one place, learning to live in a group. This was the beginning of
civilization as we know it today.
Early
knowledge of agriculture was an accumulation of experiences that were passed on
from father to son. Some of these have been preserved as religious commandments
and some in the ancient inscriptions. There is evidence to show that as early as
2000 BC the Egyptian civilization followed particular dates for sowing and
reaping. Some Greek and Roman classics give instructions on how to get a higher
yield.
The
development of agriculture made it apparent that more food could be extracted
from a given area of land by encouraging useful and hardy plant and animal
species, and discouraging others.
At
the turn of the 19th century, a movement began in central Europe to train
farmers in specific farming skills. A truly scientific approach was begun by
Justine von Liebig of Darmstadt who in his classic work introduced the
systematic development of agriculture science. From the 19th century onwards
plant production became a scientific discipline.
In
the early 20th century, the legendary work of Gregor Mendel laid the foundation
of modern day genetics. His work explained the basics of inheritance in terms of
the factor we today call genes.
Apart
from selection and hybridization, new and innovative techniques such as
genetic
engineering that aid
plant breeders
have been developed in the recent past. One example of this is
BtCotton.
With advances in human and plant biology, more intricate details about the cell
� the basic unit of life � were illuminated. The possibility of raising whole
plants from various plant tissues, commonly know as
tissue culture,
has thrown open the doors for expedited evolution both in terms of generation of
genetic variability and multiplication of elite plant types. The knowledge of
the wonder molecule
DNA has also
opened a new area of plant breeding research. These new technologies have been
collectively referred to as
biotechnology. It is a collective effort for plant breeding in the future
and will compliment man's crusade for more and better food. In India, the
reen Revolution
saw the rapid progress of agriculture and the application of different methods
to enhance production.
Biofertilizers
have been proven to be more environmentally friendly fertilizers that do not
cause harm to life.
Bioremediation
methods have been used to clear oil spills using bacteria.
Biotechnology
Biotechnology
is short for biological technology. Technology is the ability to better utilize
our surroundings. Biotechnology applies the same principles to living organisms
as do other technologies. Biotechnology can be defined as the application of our
knowledge and understanding of biology to meet practical needs. It is as old as
the growing of crops. Today�s biotechnology is largely identified with
applications in medicine and agriculture based on our knowledge of the genetic
code of life. Fermentation, used in making bread, beer, and cheese, is an
example of biotechnology. Modern biotechnology simply allows scientists to be
more specific in their work.
Different
types of crops have been produced using the molecular tools of biotechnology and
are beginning to be utilized in agricultural systems all over the world. At the
same time, an increasing number of farmers are adopting sustainable cultural
practices.
Biotechnology
has the potential to assist farmers in reducing on-farm chemical inputs and
produce value-added commodities. Conversely, there are concerns about the use of
biotechnology in agricultural systems including the possibility that it may lead
to greater farmer dependence on the providers of the new technology.
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