Genetic Engineering in Farming

Genetically Engineered crops require much less work for farmers and they are claimed to provide a larger yield, this somewhat compensates for the expensive price of the GE seeds. Advances in the field of genetic engineering now offer precise control over the genetic modifications introduced into an organism. At present, scientists can integrate new genes from one species into a completely different species. A study revealed that, on a global scale, GE crops have reduced pesticide usage by 37 percent, increased crop harvests by 22 percent, and increased farmer profits by 68 percent. But the question remains, are there any unexpected bad effects of genetically engineered crops? Is GE the answer to food scarcity? Read on to find out.

Manipulation of Genetic Material

Source: Genetic Literacy Project

Genetic engineering in agriculture varies a lot from traditional cross-breeding techniques that have been around for over millennia. Crossbreeding is more like accelerated evolution. Desired traits are selected and offspring that exhibit those traits are bred further. If you wish to breed a disease-resistant tomato plant, you have to grow many tomatoes and only plant seeds of the most disease-resistant crops. Only after many generations will the plant be more disease resistant than the original. It can be done between the same or closely related DNA and gene sequences are not modified at all. This means that negative traits are also carried over along with positive traits. Genetic engineering allows extracting a single favourable gene out of the entire genome and inserting it into another plant. There is no need to wait for multiple generations of progeny.

Can GE feed the Growing Population?

Source: Easel.ly

Chemical-based agricultural technology and biotechnology are wrongly assumed to be mandatory to increase crop yields, adapt to changing climates, and feed the quickly growing world population. Herbicide-resistant plants do not need soil to be tilled. This means that carbon is present in the soil. More CO2 means better soil structures and such crops require fewer pesticides than non-GE plants. Plants can be safely sprayed with chemicals so that the weeds around it die. However, the whole truth has not been revealed. Genetically engineered crops have actually increased the use of herbicides like glyphosate as glyphosate-resistant weeds are coming up. This, in turn, increases weed resistance and there is a need to reintroduce more powerful herbicides. At the global level agriculture produces more than one and a half times the amount of calories required to feed the world population, yet one in nine people go hungry. A report from the United Nations reveals that organic and sustainable agriculture is the best practice for countries like Africa and India, where the food scarcity is high. Genetically Engineered crops seem to provide higher yields due to fewer pests and weeds. Till now, no successful GE has yet increased natural yields like a higher number of kernels per corncob.

Problems of GE Crops

Superweeds

The most concerning problem of herbicide-resistant crops is the tremendous increase in herbicide use. This has brought about herbicide-resistant “superweeds.” Weeds have grown resistant to glyphosate. One of the major ways that Genetically engineered plants have impacted the environment is through an abundance of side effects caused by increased pesticide and weed-killing chemical usage. As a result of this, water quality is reduced, biodiversity is compromised, and human health is affected.

New Allergens

Gene modifications can change the crop's metabolism, growth rate, and its response to external environmental changes. These effects influence not only the crop but also the natural environment in which that plant lives in. This can cause potential health risks to human beings. Risks include the possibility of being exposed to new allergens developed unintentionally in genetically modified foods. There may also be a transfer of antibiotic-resistant genes to the body.

Disease Spread

The gene transfer of pesticide, herbicide, or antibiotic resistance to crops doesn’t only put humans at risk. It also leads to ecological imbalances as previously considered harmless plants are now allowed to grow uncontrolled. This promotes the spread of disease among plants and animals.

Economic Consequences

A financial concern associated with GMOs is that private companies can patent the crop seeds they create and not sell them at a reasonable price to the public. This means that the use of genetically modified crops will hinder the economy and harm the environment. Mainly because monoculture will become the norm as large-scale farm production centers can only afford the expensive seeds. They will dominate the industry as small farmers can't afford them.

Conclusion

The future of genetic engineering is way more targeted than isolating favourable genes. Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeat (CRISPR) technology allows researchers to cut and paste very specific DNA sections. For example, if there are three tomato plants each plant's favourable gene can be combined to create a unique plant.  However, the majority of crops have only been modified to tolerate herbicides. Genetic engineering has become more common. Unintended consequences at the cellular, human, or ecosystem level can be expected.