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Biotechnology in Agriculture. What is a Hybrid?. A hybrid is created by cross breeding closely related species with desirable traits to produce offspring with the desirable traits of both parents. Why P roduce Hybrids.
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What is a Hybrid? • A hybrid is created by cross breeding closely related species with desirable traits to produce offspring with the desirable traits of both parents.
Why Produce Hybrids • Farmers often cross-pollinate closely related plant species to create better ones. • For example, a farmer might cross pollinate a strain of wheat that is resistant to bugs with a strain of wheat that has a greater seed production rate to create a hybrid with both characteristics.
Improvements of Modern Biotechnology • Crop breeders can now select a specific genetic trait (gene) from a species and insert it into the genetic code of another species. • This improves crop breeding in 2 ways.
1st Improvement • It allows breeders to choose the specific genes they want, which makes the process both faster and more specific than selective breeding.
2nd Improvement • Breeders can now also use genes from unrelated species. • For example, a wheat plant may contain a gene that allows the plant to resist a specific pest. This gene can now be transferred to a different plant species.
Herbicide Resistant Gene • Almost all genetically engineered crops in Canada are altered to be resistant to herbicides. • This means farmers can spray their crops with herbicides to kill unwanted weeds and not worry about it negatively affecting their crops.
Herbicide Resistant Gene Continued… • Advantage: • Farmers can spray at higher concentrations and less often. This can save them time and money. • Herbicides will only target weeds. Should be more safe for the environment. • Concern: • Unwanted weeds will naturally cross pollinate with crops and eventually get the herbicide resistant gene.
Biotechnology & Aquaculture • Some Atlantic Canadian fish farms could not operate during the winter because the blood of Atlantic salmon and halibut would freeze. • Researchers at Memorial University in Newfoundland discovered an “antifreeze” gene found in Arctic flat fish. • This gene could be inserted into the salmon and halibut so that their blood would not freeze in low water temperatures.
