Post on 18-Jul-2015
Plant Biotechnology, Science Writing, and Public
Communication
Kevin M. FoltaProfessor and Chairman
Horticultural Sciences Department
kfolta.blogspot.com@kevinfolta
kevinfolta@gmail.com
My main job: Chairman of the Horticultural Sciences Department (Fruit and Veg crops)
56 Faculty over six locations throughout the state
-Breeding / new varieties-Crop physiology and production-Molecular genetics-Genomics-Organic and sustainable production-Weed science-Plant nutrition, water use-Space biology-Cell and developmental biology-Postharvest physiology
•13 international scholars•Undergraduate researchers
•Examine how light affects plant traits, and use as a non-chemical treatment for enhanced shelf life
•Use of natural fruit volatiles to slow spoilage
•Connecting genes to important traits in small fruits.
•Marker-assisted breeding
My Research Program
Biotechnology Communication
•What this technology is
•Why there is resistance to good technology?
•The future of biotech crops.
Irony at the Apple Store
We loves new Apple products!
I demand new technology!
The best company on earth!
New improved products!
Don’t want new apple products!
New improved products!
If nature didn’t make it, I don’t want it!!
Down with corporations!
What Plant Genetic Improvement Is
More varieties
Grow better under given conditions
Improved yields
Safer products
Improved nutrtion
What Plant Genetic Improvement Is
People t hink
Improved yields
Examples of GM Crops?
What are our priorities?
Farmers
The Needy
Environment
Consumers
What transgenic technology is.What transgenic technology is.
Transgenic crop technology (familiar “GMO”) is a precise extension of conventional plant breeding.
“The techniques used pose no more risk (actually less risk) than conventional breeding.” (NAS, AAAS, AMA, EFSA many others)
In 18 years there has not been one case of illness or death related to these products
There are several traits used in only eight commercial crops
These are the most well studied and extensively tested plant products in history.
Humans have always manipulated crop genetics
“food with DNA that has been altered in such a way that does not occur naturally.”
GE vs. Traditional Breeding
Wide crosses exchange hundreds or thousands of genes and gene variants; GE moves only one/few.
Traditional breeding frequently uses plants that could never normally cross, GE uses genes from self or any other organism
GE can monitor the effect of a specific change; breeding seeks to judge the effect on plant productivity and does not address possible effects on individual genes.
GM Crops Available Now
How Do We Add a Gene to a Plant?
How Do You Make a Transgenic Plant – Exploit Totipoentcy
Agrobacterium is used to place gene of interest into a single cell.
The single cell is then cultured into an entire plant containing the gene.
How Do We Add a Gene to a Plant?
Agrobacterium tumefaciens
Making a New Plant from a Single Cell
How do the traits work?
Two main traits– Bt and glyphosate resistance
GMO Crops Make Pesticides
Bt is one of many natural anti-insect proteins
Bt is one of many natural anti-insect proteins
How Bt Works
bt
Advantages
Decrease in broad-spectrum insecticide use on corn and cotton
Lower fuel and labor costs for farmers
Solid dividends in the developing world
No effect on beneficials
Limitations
Need to plant refugia to slow resistance
Pockets of resistance are seen and require use of insecticides
Requires careful scouting
Glyphosate-Resistant (Roundup Ready) Products
A gene is inserted that allows plants to survive in the presence of the herbicide. Farmers can spray to kill non-transgenic plants.
How Herbicide Resistance Works
A B CAminoacids
proteins
epsps
glyphosate
XPlants
How Herbicide Resistance Works
A B CAminoacids
proteins
epsps
glyphosate
X
A B CAminoacids
proteins
epsps
Plants
Bacteria
glyphosate
How Herbicide Resistance Works
A B CAminoacids
proteins
epsps
epsps
Plants
X
glyphosate
A B CAminoacids
proteinsBacteria
glyphosate
How Herbicide Resistance Works
A B CAminoacids
proteins
epsps
Plants
glyphosate
Resistance!
Advantages
Switch to a low-toxicity herbicide, cheap and effective
Lower fuel and labor costs for farmers
Decreased tilling, saved topsoil
Limitations
Weeds can evolve resistance, requiring increased labor, lower yields, and new control strategies. New chemistries.
The point is– this is not a scientific debate.- benefits far outweigh limitations and new solutions are coming.
This is not a farming debate.-farmers freely choose the technology because it works.
This is a SOCIAL debate fueled by fear and misinformation.
Why Is There Resistance to Good Technology?
Rel
ativ
e nu
mbe
r in
pop
ulat
ion
Relative scientific understanding
Nonexperts
Farmers, scientists,
Etc.
MOST PEOPLE!!!!
FEAR FACTS
Manufactured Risk!
What Does the General Public Really Think?
“92% of Americans demand to know what is in their food”
Why is there even a problem?
Manufactured risk for profit
Political motivations (anti-corporate sentiment)
Well meaning people responding to a compelling bad-science message
Who is most influential in selling fear?
Oz Smith Shiva Adams Mercola Food Babe
Why is there even a problem?
How do we fix the problem?
Center for Food Integrity
Fixing the problem.
There needs to be more communication from scientists and farmers.
These are the folks that know the science.
We have not been participating well.
The companies have been useless in communication too.
Technology Exists NOW
Research has been published demonstrating that transgenic techniques can:
Help farmers save labor, fuel, water, fertilizer, other inputs.
Biofortify foods with vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients
Grow plants in marginal areas
Grow plants with fewer inputs Efficient use of fertilizersInsect resistanceDisease resistance
Golden Rice
X
Farmers
Consumers
Environment
Needy
Opposition to golden rice cost $2 billion to farmers in developing countries and 1.4 million human years – Wesseler et al., 2014
Cassava
Virus Resistant Cassava (VIRCA)
Biocassava Plus (BC Plus)
250 million depend on cassava
50 million tons lost to virus.
X
X Farmers
Consumers
Environment
Needy
Allergy-Free Peanuts
Peanut – RNAi suppression Ara h2
X
Farmers
Consumers
Environment
Needy
Low Acrylamide, non Browning Potatoes
X
X
Farmers
Consumers
Environment
Needy
Non Browning ApplesSilencing a gene that leads to discoloration
X
X
Farmers
Consumers
Environment
Needy
Small Business!X
BS2 TomatoA pepper gene in tomato eases black spot and wilt.
X
X Farmers
Consumers
Environment
Needy
Stopping Citrus Greening
Spinach defensin
NPR1
Lytic peptides
Many show promise
Earliest deregulation is 2019
There are many more solutions to pressing ag problems, yet few are being developed.
What are our priorities?
Farmers
The Needy
Environment
Consumers
Conclusions
Transgenic technology is safe
Transgenic technology has proven effective
Progress is slowed by manufactured risk
Existing products could bring great benefit to the environment, the needy, the consumer and the farmer, but they are not developed– or people resist their development out of fear
We need to use all technologies available to ensure safe and sustainable food with less environmental impact.
Thank you
kfolta.blogspot.com@kevinfolta
kevinfolta@gmail.com
"There is a path to truth and sincerity that you must guard and defend“
-- Teruyuki Okazaki It is our mission to stand up for the truth that science gives us.
Dr. Jack PayneSVP UF/IFAS
Where do I get good information?
Warm welcome Cold facts
kfolta@ufl.edu
GMOanswers.com
Biofortified.org geneticliteracyproject.com
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