Agricultural Science (AS)·Agricultural technology · NSSCAS 5.2
Introduction to biotechnology in agriculture
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In a Windhoek laboratory, a shelf of tiny banana plants grows inside little glass jars of jelly — no soil, no field, no rain — and from one mother plant a scientist has made a thousand identical babies. How is that possible, and what could it mean for a dry country that must feed a growing population? In this lesson we unlock the word biotechnology: what it means, why farmers reach for it, its benefits and its worries, and four key ideas — tissue culture, genetic engineering, fermentation and cloning — each with a real crop example.
What you'll learn in this lesson
By the end you should be able to (NSSCAS Agricultural Science (AS) 5.2):
- Explain what is meant by biotechnology in agriculture (using living organisms or their life processes to make useful products or improve crops and livestock)
- Outline the reasons for the use of biotechnology in agriculture, such as higher yields, resistance to pests, disease and drought, better quality and food security
- Discuss the benefits of biotechnology in agriculture
- Discuss the concerns and risks of biotechnology, including cost, biosafety, gene flow, ethics, corporate seed control and consumer acceptance
- Explain the term tissue culture and describe an example of it in crop production
- Explain the term genetic engineering and describe an example of it in crop production
- Explain the term fermentation and describe an example of it in crop production
- Explain the term cloning and describe an example of it in crop production
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Miss Elina and Mike talk through the whole topic — with the figure and working drawn live.