Bio-Engineering Technologies

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Bio-Engineering Technologies

• Adaptive and Assistive Bioengineered Products
• Food
• Bio-fuels
• Irradiation
• Integrated Pest Management

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Bio-Engineering is adivisions of Biotechnology

• Biology
• Chemistry
• Engineering

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FOOD
BENEFITS ABOUT BIOENGINEERING

• Growth rate to maturity is increased making it
  ready for market sooner
• Desired qualities are sought more meat, better
  taste, coloring, etc. (Customers at the
  supermarket choose from products that appeal to
  them)
• Resistance to pests and/or disease
• Less reliance on pesticides and herbicides
• Less reliance on fertilizers

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FOOD
CONCERNS ABOUT BIOENGINEERING

• Salmon have been bioengineered to grow five times
  faster than wild breeds
• What if animals with a different genetic
  structure escaped and mated / competed for food
  with wild stock?
• Hens have been genetically modified to lay
  low-cholesterol eggs
• Chickens have been altered to produce anti-cancer
  drugs
• How will introduction of genetically altered
  members of the same species of plant/animal
  affect the balance in an ecosystem?

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Bio-Fuels

• Ethanol (corn, sugar cane,cellulose)
• Biodiesel (soybeans, sunflowers, canola)
• Purified Biogas (plant residues or animal wastes)
• Biomethane Cow Power for Your Tank
• Used to replace or add to traditional
  petroleum-based transportation fuels
• Can be used in existing vehicles with little or
  no modification to vehicle.

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Bio-Fuels

• Benefits Sustainability Improves air quality
• Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions
  Improves economy for farmers
• Improves water quality
• Security of supply
• Biomass is currently the only source of renewable
  liquid transportation fuels.

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Irradiation

• Irradiation exposes food to radiant energy.

• Food is passed through an irradiator--an enclosed
  chamber--where it is exposed to gamma rays

• Irradiated foods and their packaging are not made
  radioactive.

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Irradiation - Benefits
consumers, retailers, food manufacturers

• Provides an additional level of safety if food is
  not fully cooked.

• Irradiation slows down the natural decay of fruit
  and vegetables, EXTENDS SHELF LIFE.

• Irradiation contributes to keeping down food
  costs as a result of less wastage and extended
  shelf life.

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Integrated Pest ManagementIPM

• Multi-tactic approach, joins several strategies
  to get a particular pest.
• Criteria for selecting a treatment strategy are
  1. Least hazardous to human health 2. Least
  disruptive of natural controls 3. Least toxic to
  non-target organisms 4. Most likely to be
  permanent 5. Easiest to carry out safely and
  effectively 6. Most cost-effective 7. Most
  site-appropriate

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Control Strategies

• 1. Cultural control - uses fertilization, plant
  selection, and sanitation to exclude problematic
  pests and weeds. 2. Physical control - includes
  creating barriers modifying conditions such as
  temperature, light and humidity trapping and
  manually weeding. 3. Biological control - uses
  a pest's natural enemies. Introduces beneficial
  insects or bacteria to the environment or, if
  they already exist, provides them with the
  necessary food and shelter and avoids using
  broad-spectrum chemicals that will inadvertently
  kill them. 4. Chemical control is used after
  all other control strategies are deemed
  inappropriate or ineffective. Target-specific,
  low-toxicity pesticides are applied in a manner
  that will maximize the effectiveness of pest
  management and minimize the exposure to humans
  and other non-target species. Spot treat if
  possible to reduce exposure.

I n t eg r a t ed Pes t Managemen t
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Question

• Some species of bacteria produce a substance that
  is toxic to insects but harmless to humans.
  Scientists have isolated the gene that controls
  production of this substance.
• Which of the following is the best reason for
  inserting this gene into corn plants?
• A. The corn will grow faster.
• B. Less fertilizer will be needed.
• C. Fewer pesticides will be needed.
• D. The corn will be more nutritious.