DNA and Food and Nutrition for 10 Billion People

The world’s population is approaching 8 billion, and it is estimated that 10–11 billion may be reached by the end of the century, though when and at what number the population will peak is debated. It is clearly going to be a very big number. Plant genetic engineering (GE) has opened up many possibilities for plant improvement both in conjunction with and in addition to traditional plant breeding. This has become possible because of an elegant transformation method using the bacterium Agrobacterium tumefaciens and its Ti plasmid. The plasmid is disarmed and advantage taken of the ability to insert DNA into the nuclear DNA of its host. Refined transformation systems are now available. For transformation, the gene is inserted into somatic cells in tissue culture, which are then regenerated to produce mature plants. Early biotechnology involved a foreign gene from a bacterium (Bacillus thuringiensis). This was the Bt gene for insect resistance. An important plant biotechnology success was the production of golden rice for vitamin A formation in 2000. This became the center point of public debate on GE plants. Other examples of biotechnology given are for virus resistance, gene editing for vitamin D enhancement, and using plant cells for vaccine production. Transformation has aided gene discovery, and the current emphasis is on using the understanding of the genetic regulation of plant processes to increase yield and respond to climate change.