Biological Basis of Plants Relative to Technology, Social and Ethical Implications

Genetically Modified Plants
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Genetically Modified Plants
In the recent years the genetically modified plants have received massive attention from the fact that they have been highly opposed from quite a number of quarters, ranging from religious and lobby groups. However despite the fact that this is a topic that has received a lot of attention, it is also a topic that most of the people in the public domain do not have much knowledge of, relative to the technology and the benefits that the plants will offer as well the associated challenges (Key, Ma & Drake, 2008). Much of the campaign on the genetically modified plants has leaned on the negative impacts that the plants will have on either the humans, the genetic pools or the environment at large (University of Utah, 2016). However, there are not as much content on the actual elements that define the technology and what it has to offer now and in the future (Prakash, 2001). This paper evaluates the biological basis of the plants, that is, relative to the technology in use, the social and ethical implications of the same and a personal viewpoint on the same.
Biological basis and technology
First it important to understand that a genetically modified plant, is one that has had it DNA modified using genetic engineering techniques. There are quite a number of reasons that have to the development in the technology, such making sure that a plant is resistant to certain chemicals, pests, environmental conditions, diseases, better yields, increased nutrients values and increased adaptability among others (Key, Ma & Drake, 2008). As such, the premises behind genetic modification of the plants is that, there is always a trait that is being added onto the plant in question to make it better. In which case, the only way to improve these abilities is to modify the genetic sequence of the plant, with specificity and bias for the desired characteristics. One of the aspects that underlies that need to modify genes is that, the DNA material is responsible for the encoding of the specific traits that are found in a plant, much like in every living organism. Ideally all the characteristics of a plant or an organism are coded in the DNA, such that even characteristics such as plant morphological and physiological characteristics (Key, Ma & Drake, 2008).
In the DNA sequences are the genes that contain the genetic material for every characteristics of the plant. This means to change the kind of response that a plant develops when exposed to certain stimuli in the environment such as too much sunlight, one has modify the genes that code for than particular trait to change the response. To genetically modify plants, there are two main techniques that can be applied for the same, however there are quite a number of other techniques that are used to achieve the same. The two main techniques used in the modification of the plants DNA includes the bacterium Agrobacterium tumefaciens, in a process makes it possible for the genetic engineers to transfer DNA on the desired plants (Key, Ma & Drake, 2008). The other technique requires the use of the gene gun, which basically means that the genetic engineers in the case have the ability to shoot mi...