The use of biotechnology to reduce the dependency of crop plants on fertilizers, pesticides, and other agrochemicals

• Main Author: Alam, Zeba F.
• Format: text
• Published: Animo Repository 2010
• Subjects: Plant biotechnology; Biofertilizers; Herbicides; Biotechnology
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/faculty_research/5043
• Institution: De La Salle University

In recent times, we have been faced with the challenges of improving food quality and increasing crop production in order to meet the ever-growing crisis of an increasing world population with the minimum of environmental consequences. Since time immemorial, farmers have used traditional methods to increase their crop production and quality. However, due to recent breakthroughs in science and genetics, more and more farmers have started using biotechnology to increase their agricultural output. Agricultural productivity can be increased by reducing biotic stresses and at the same time using better quality seeds with the optimum use of fertilizers. The challenge is not only to reduce those biotic stresses that reduce the crop yield, such as weeds, pests, and diseases, but also to reduce and minimize the environmental consequences associated with this, such as the consumption of natural resources, conservation of water, and protection of natural habitats and biodiversity. According to a report submitted by the Food and Agricultural Organization of the World Health Organization (2002), the biggest challenge for the agricultural sector will be to deliver twice as much food in 2050 as is produced today; this will become necessary due to the estimated increase in the world population (Conway and Toenniessen, 1999; Cohen, 2003). Regarding the climate changes currently being experienced by our planet and concerns about global warming, this increase in agricultural productivity must be brought about without any further detrimental environmental impact. According to Raven (2008), farmers will have to nd the means to reduce environmental impacts by producing more from each unit of land, water, and energy engaged in crop production. There is also a need to adapt cropping systems to suit changes in climate which threaten crop productivity and food reserves at local and global levels (Goklany, 1999). Farmers should be encouraged to adopt and use new technologies like agricultural biotechnology to meet these challenges along with better economic returns. Using biotechnology, attempts have been made to reduce crop dependency on fertilizers, pesticides, and other agrochemicals. This should help to further reduce the impact of these chemicals on the environment without compromising overall crop productivity (Conko, 2003).