Trait Basics FAQ 1. What is seed trait technology?
Otherwise known as "agricultural biotechnology," it is the process of making genetic modifications to traditional seed varieties in order to develop beneficial traits that will fight pests and disease, control weeds, increase crop yields, and add nutrition.
2. What types of seed traits exist today?
Traits today largely provide benefits that reduce the amount of crop protection product usage, resulting in lower input costs, which are commonly identified as "input traits." In the cotton market, insect resistant plants emit the naturally-occurring bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis, which is toxic to many important lepidopteran insect pests. Weed resistant traits provide protection from broad spectrum herbicides such as glyphosate and glufosinate, allowing growers to spray these herbicides "over the top" of a resistant cotton plant containing the trait, while controlling a very wide spectrum of weeds.
These traits have been in use for a decade, and manufacturers are now beginning to release "second generation" technology designed to improve efficacy and application flexibility.
In the future, manufacturers hope to be able to add more genetic capabilities, such as drought resistance and nematode resistance.
3. What is "stacked gene" technology?
Stacked gene technology is the combination of multiple traits within a seed germplasm. One example in the cotton market is Bollgard with Roundup Ready cotton. The combination gives the cotton plant a built-in control response against lepidopteran insect pests, and allows for over-the-top application of the broad-spectrum herbicide glyphosate.
4. How prevalent is agricultural biotechnology today?
According to the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO), "From the first significant commercial plantings in 1996, double-digit growth in each subsequent year has led to more than 252 million acres of biotech crops planted in 2006 in 22 countries."
5. What are the general benefits of incorporating biotech into a farming operation?
With 252 million acres of biotech crops planted and the number continuing to rise, it is obvious there are many benefits of the technology. Biotech seed traits have helped farmers increase production, save costs, improve the overall quality of their crops and enhance their environmental efforts. Consider the following, an excerpt from BIO "Agricultural Biotechnology: Benefits Delivered":
Increased production: The most detailed study to date indicates biotech helped increase U.S. agricultural production by 8.34 billion pounds on 123 million acres in 2005.
Cost savings: Biotech crops decreased U.S. farmers' production costs by $1.4 billion in 2005, contributing to an increase in net profits of $2 billion that year.
Improved quality: Biotech crops have improved quality of food and feed by decreasing the amount of foreign material (e.g., weed residues) in harvests and by reducing the amount of insect damage to harvested crops.
Environmental enhancements: No-till agriculture, in limited use prior to 1996, has been dramatically adopted due to the availability of superior weed control from biotech crops that are able to tolerate the newer class of lower-impact herbicides. This has led to improved soil makeup and water, reduced run-off, and reduced greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture.
New biotech approaches in pest control have reduced farmer's reliance on pesticide applications, eliminating 69.7 million pounds of pesticide application in the United States in 2005.
