Gene Technology

Abstract

Increasing or Limiting Genetic Diversity of Crops through Plant Biotechnology: A Review

Niels Louwaars

In various debates in society plant breeding is looked upon as a major threat to biodiversity. Producing uniform varieties by fewer and fewer companies would lead to reduced biodiversity in farmers’ fields. The diversity of crops has gone through domestication, dispersal and modernization bottlenecks of diversity. Plant breeding may contribute to diversity in farmers’ fields or significantly reduce it. History has numerous examples of both. Biotechnology has proven to support diversity, notably Marker Assisted Selection. Gene editing may also contribute to the same goal. However, both biotechnology and biodiversity policies could reverse the trend. We warn for a fourth, a policy bottleneck to the diversity of crops

Published Date: 2020-12-23; Received Date: 2020-12-02