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GM crops - the next generation
Posted: Thursday, June 25, 2009 7:24 pm
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In the field of crops modified for improved nutrition, there's a lot more going on than Golden Rice. So much, in fact, that describing the current state of the art fills 328 pages, in a new book published by the Crop Science Society of America. Titled Modification of Seed Composition to Promote Health and Nutrition, it addresses a wide array of seed modification topics ranging from oils to proteins to allergens.

The book consists of a series of chapters written by some of the world's leading scientists in this domain, edited and compiled by Hari B. Krishnan, a scientist with the US Department of Agriculture's Research Service.

Biotechnology holds promise to help improve food production to deal with the world's growing population, according to Krishnan. Food production will have to be increased significantly over the next 40 years to feed the predicted world population of 9 billion people by 2050. But more can be done than merely increase the quantity of food; this book deals with increasing its quality.

For instance, Krishnan and his research team have created transgenic soybean plants that express a protein from maize that is rich in the essential amino acid methionine. Krishnan and other scientists are currently manipulating key enzymes involved in sulfur assimilation in soybeans, thereby boosting methionine levels in this important crop. According to Krishnan, methionine is important in human health because it is a raw material for protein synthesis and indirectly regulates a variety of cellular processes.

To order the book, visit this link, where you can also view the book's table of contents, foreword, and preface.
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GMO (noun) 1. An acronym for the term, 'Genetically Modified Organism'. 2. A plant, animal or microbe with a genetic code which has been intentionally altered, such as through forced evolution (see selective breeding); through random mutations induced with radiation or chemicals (see mutagenesis); or through the selective transfer, promoting or silencing of specific genes (see genetic engineering). 3. Most generally, any descendant of a primordial urbiote. (See evolution.)

obelus (noun) A dagger-shaped typographical symbol [ † ] which directs a reader's attention to important matters. From the Greek, obelus, literally, a roasting skewer.

GMObelus (noun, proper) A publication directing the attention of readers to the latest news and commentary regarding the development and use of genetically modified organisms in agriculture and related fields.

peer (noun) 1. One of two or more computers sending data to each other over the same network. 2. One of two or more persons sharing information with each other over such a network. (See also, 'remote peer'.)

peer review (noun phrase)  A process by which peers review information shared over a network, rather than each other. (Compare, argumentum ad hominem.)

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