Science Matters: Plant Genetics and the Environment

What if plants could grow with less water, in poor soil, using less fertilizer or toxic chemical pesticides to produce food for a hungry world? Or what if plants could remove toxic substances from the environment? UCSD plant biologist Julian Schroeder takes you on an exploration of how genetic modification of plants may be able to achieve these goals and address environmental challenges that are in our future. Series: "Science Matters" [8/2001] [Science] [Agriculture] [Show ID: 5580]

Category:

Education

Tags:

• GMO
• plant
• genetics
• genetically
• modified
• plants

[billwaltrich1]

@poepflater they would never replace all plants with the modified generation. They know better than this. You have nothing to worry about

[2011rhythmdivine]

If plants could remove toxic substances from the environment, then this should be capitalized. Genes of plants should be modified to achieve this. It would be a great feat.

[poepflater]

So what happens when we have only these drought modified plants left and the earth cycles back to one of its wetter periods again? We all die, because the genes that could deal with that are gone!

[z3alious]

the main problem is monoculture and lack of biodiversity... we are currently paying for that mistake... instead of going back to the beginning and doing selective breeding and so furth we are just altering the genetic makeup of plants... its a risky short cut id say... we are just dragging on the same problem.. we can not fix mother nature...

does not make much sense..

[z3alious]

honestly I think we can come up with safer solutions to these current issues... hydroponics can save watter and runoff... there are def alternatives.. I fear they will not be explored tho due to lack of funding... in turn due to lack of profit potential of doing the research... I wonder how much monsanto is making?

[z3alious]

Humans are amazing... we are gods... nay. together all of us are god... We need to make a decision .... will we use our powers for good or bad.... in essence will we use these technologies to pursue profits... or to save our planet..... My personal belief is that our job as a species is to protect and save the planet... So far we are not doing so good

[z3alious]

I wonder if julian eats GMO foods. Its one of those tuff issues... I mean either we risk the unknown or let people starve.

9 times out of 10 we find out too late how we pollute..

[truemind]

@Prahlad39 I'm sure on spoke in the wheel is that you can't patent naturally wild growing organisms... you CAN patent the NEW Super plant...

..I always think it's sad that naturally grown unadulterated food has a special name (organic) and GM food is the norm without any additional label: people assume they're just tomatoes... when they're not just tomatoes.

[1888junkteam]

excellent worker!

[ALPHAENGINE]

It's bad to edit that which you did not create.