developing countries – and that includes the Philippines – can benefit from GM crops by being able to increase food production, lower production cost and food prices, improve food quality and preserve the environment.
The statement comes from a booklet published by the Laguna-based Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA). GM stands for genetically modified and it’s a product of biotechnology.
Dr. Rhodora R. Aldemita, senior program officer of International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications (ISAAA) defines biotechnology as: “any technique that uses whole or part of a living thing to make new products, improve or develop plants, animals and other organisms for specific use.”
In her lecture during the Biotechnology 101 at the Pinnacle Hotel in Davao City, she added: “It is the use of biological processes, organisms or systems to manufacture products intended to improve the quality of human life.”
The SEARCA booklet said that tools of biotechnology can be used to make products for agricultural, industrial, medical and environmental applications. Since it is too broad, let’s focus more on agricultural crops.
“Biotechnology allows scientists to precisely introduce a desired character of being able to insert only specific genes into a plant,” the booklet explained. “Traditional crop improvement entails a long process of hybridization and selection. It involves numerous combinations of traits that require a large population to be able to select a plant with the desired trait.”
So, how come scientists were able to do this? Simple. All plants, animals and living organisms have cells, the basic unit of life. “Within cells are hereditary materials generally composed of deoxyribonucleic acids (DNA),” the booklet said. “These hereditary materials (that determine a trait) are called genes. Through biotechnology, the gene fragments can be inserted from one organism to another, within related and unrelated species, to improve specific traits.”
There are several tools used in biotechnology. First, there’s gene cloning, where specific DNA fragments are identified or isolated and introduced into a self-replicating genetic element so that the fragment can be reproduced and expressed in the target organism.
Then, there’s tissue culture, which involves culturing plant parts and animal cells under laboratory conditions. Microbial culture, on the other hand, is a method of multiplying microbial organisms.
DNA-marker technology involves the identification of DNA fragments associated with a certain desired trait and its uses. Finally, there’s the controversial genetic engineering, defined as “the manipulation, introduction and expression of specific genes or DNA in the target organisms.” This is the method used in developing genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
Among the products that have been genetically modified include soybean, squash, corn, potato, tomato, canola and cotton. In the Philippines, the only biotech crop commercially available is corn.
“Most of the GM crops currently in the market have an increased level of crop protection through the introduction of resistance against plant pests and diseases caused by insects, viruses or other pathogens. Others have an increased tolerance towards herbicides,” the booklet said.
The booklet provided more information: “Insect resistance is achieved by incorporating the gene for toxin production from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) into the crop. This bacterium has been widely as conventional microbial insecticide in agriculture since the 1930s.
“GM crops that permanently produce this toxin have been shown to require lower quantities of insecticide in specific situations, that is, where pest pressure is high. Several Bt corn varieties are already propagated and marketed in the Philippines.
“Virus resistance is achieved through the introduction of a gene from certain disease-causing viruses. Virus resistance makes plant less susceptible to these viral diseases. Papaya ringspot virus resistant papayas are already being cultivated and consumed in the United States and China.
“Herbicide tolerance is achieved through the introduction of a gene from a bacterium conveying resistance to some herbicides. This allows herbicides to be used to control weeds without harming the crop. Around 75% of the global area devoted to soybean is planted to GM soybean.”
There are some people who are worried that transgenic crops may wipe out and replace varieties from traditional breeding. Will this happen in the future? The booklet said negatively.
“GM crops will not replace varieties from traditional breeding because genetic modification is only conducted to introduce important genes to the already established and bred varieties,” it explained. “Genetic modification is conducted to further improve the already existing popular and high-yielding varieties.”
Most people consider traditional foods – those that have been eaten for thousands of years – are safe. The question often asked is: Are GM foods safe for human consumption? “Foods produced using genetic modification is as safe as foods produced using conventional breeding techniques,” assures the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). “Genetically modified foods are as safe as other foods available on the market.”
The Geneva-based World Health Organization (WHO) declared that different GM foods go through the global food safety process called Codex Alimentarius Risk Analysis of Foods Derived from Modern Biotechnology under which these foods are not found to be risky to human health.
“GM foods currently available on the international market have passed risk assessments and are not likely to present risks for human health,” said the UN health agency in a statement.
