transgenic plants :: essays research papers

IntroductionFor the past 30 years Scientist learn searched desperately for the answer to seasoniness toleration at bottom plants. The damaging effects of salt accumulation in agricultural soils have influenced both ancient and modern day civilizations alike. Worldwide, an estimated 24.7 million acres of at one time agricultur all in ally productive land are being lost annually collect to irrigation-induced salt, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Thus, crop production is limited by salinity on 40% of the worlds irrigated land and on 25% of the irrigated land in the United States. These statistics indicate that the progressive loss of farmable land is on a crash course with the expanding global population, in that if something is not done to revamp the output of crop production with in the next 30 years, we exit bare witness to the first world wide foot famine in history.To solve the salt tolerance crisis, scientists have turned to genetics, an part that has been very beneficial to the Agricultural industry in the past century. In position, thanks to the implication of genetics in the 1960s the yield per acre of umpteen major crop plants has twofold. This dramatic breakthrough is known as the verdure Revolution?. As a result of the Green Revolution, countries of western Europe, who apply to be the worlds largest importer of food, have become self sufficient. The genetic improvement of crops universal played a substantial role in the recent chastise in the balance of American trade. While the Green Revolution doubled the output of crops across the world, Eduardo Blumwalds work in the field of salt tolerance may in fact be the mother of all agricultural breakthroughs even bigger than the Green Revolution. Heres why.In order to maintain the current crop output, farmers must constantly irrigate their land. The irrigation process increases the salinity of soils and water by depositing soluble salts such as Sodium, calcium, magnesium, p otassium, sulfate, and chloride that the water picks up from the soils and rocks that it has passed through. As the irrigation process is repeated, the irrigated soils accumulate salt, at levels that lessen the productivity of the crops grown there. The salt in irrigation water can baffle plants from taking in needed water through their roots, this blockage in turn leads to the death of the plant in question.In hopes overcoming the severe salt burden, Eduardo Brumwald has genetically engineered a tomato plant that can in fact grow, flower, and produce fruit in salt concentrations there were 50 clock higher than normal.