Biotechnology and Agriculture
NCERT Class 12 • Biology • Chapters on biotechnology | NCERT Class 9 • Science • Chapter "Improvement in Food Resources"
Biotechnology and Agriculture
Biotechnology is the use of living organisms or their parts to make useful products. In its traditional form it is very old, since curd, bread and alcohol all depend on microbes, but modern biotechnology works directly on the genetic material itself.
Tools and Applications
- Genetic engineering transfers a selected gene from one organism into another to give it a desired character.
- An organism carrying such a transferred gene is called transgenic or genetically modified.
- Tissue culture grows whole plants from a few cells in a nutrient medium, producing many identical disease free plants quickly.
- In medicine, biotechnology produces insulin, vaccines, growth hormone and clotting factors in large quantity and at lower cost.
- Gene therapy aims to correct a defective gene, and DNA fingerprinting is used in identification and in forensic work.
- In agriculture, genetic modification is used to give pest resistance, disease resistance, drought tolerance and better nutritional value.
- Biofertilisers and biopesticides use living organisms in place of chemicals and reduce pollution.
Crop Improvement and Concerns
- Hybridisation crosses two genetically different plants, and it may be between varieties, between species or between genera.
- Selection keeps the best plants of each generation for the next sowing, which is the oldest method of improvement.
- Mutation breeding uses radiation or chemicals to create useful variation.
- Crop improvement aims at higher yield, better quality, resistance to disease and pests, shorter duration and suitability to local conditions.
- Animal husbandry improvements include cross breeding of cattle for milk, poultry for eggs and meat, and fish farming.
- Concerns about genetic modification include effects on other organisms, loss of traditional varieties, and control of seed by a few companies.
- Biodiversity conservation matters because traditional varieties carry the genes that future breeding will need.
| Method | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Hybridisation | Crosses two different plants for better offspring |
| Selection | Keeps the best plants for the next generation |
| Mutation breeding | Creates variation using radiation or chemicals |
| Genetic engineering | Transfers a chosen gene directly |
Transgenic organism — an organism that carries a gene transferred into it from another organism by genetic engineering.
Hindi me samjhein
पारंपरिक जैव प्रौद्योगिकी बहुत पुरानी है, क्योंकि दही, रोटी और मद्य सभी सूक्ष्मजीवों से बनते हैं। आधुनिक जैव प्रौद्योगिकी सीधे आनुवंशिक पदार्थ पर काम करती है।
Exam me kaise aata hai
- An organism carrying a transferred gene is called — transgenic
- Growing whole plants from a few cells is called — tissue culture
- Crossing two genetically different plants is — hybridisation
- Identification using genetic material is called — DNA fingerprinting
UPSC/State PSC ke liye
- Traditional varieties matter for future breeding, because they hold the genetic diversity from which resistance to a new pest or climate will have to be drawn.
- Biofertilisers and biopesticides reduce both chemical cost and pollution, but they work more slowly, which is why adoption needs extension support.
Yahan confuse hote hain
✗ Biotechnology is entirely modern | Curd, bread and alcohol are traditional biotechnology | ✓
✗ Tissue culture produces varied plants | It produces identical plants | ✓
✗ Hybridisation and genetic engineering are the same | Hybridisation crosses plants; genetic engineering transfers a specific gene | ✓
Ek nazar me
- Biotechnology uses living organisms to make useful products.
- Genetic engineering transfers genes; tissue culture multiplies identical plants.
- Crop improvement uses hybridisation, selection and mutation breeding.
- Concerns include biodiversity loss and control of seed supply.