Insights of Transgenic Technology in Improving Forage Crops

The importance of forage crops/fodder crops in the present scenario has drastically increased as they provide high-quality produce to livestock and maintain sustainability in nature. Indeed, they also improve soil health, which in the long run helps to increase the productivity of agricultural systems. Transferring the beneficial traits that enhance the genetic potential of the forage crops for sustainable food production could be only possible through genetic engineering technology. The traits that can be transferred through transgenesis majorly include improving the forage quality besides their adaption to different biotic and abiotic stresses. By lowering the amount of lignin in the majority of forage crops, transgenic technology has increased biomass yield and improved animal digestibility. The technique has also proven effective in creating short-lived, healthy plants. The addition of genes from the germplasm collection will effectively boost the possibility of creating transgenic variants that meet the growing demand for animal products. Forage crops that have undergone genetic engineering (GE) hold promise for mitigating the effects of climate change, improving animal health and productivity, and improving human health when consumed in moderation. Furthermore, many studies were conducted concurrently to find out if there is any adverse effect of using genetically modified crops to feed animals, which turned out to be negative.