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Productivity
Fertilization
 Crops
use tremendous amounts of nitrogen-based fertilizers each
year to increase production yields. Unfortunately, these
fertilizers pollute streams and ground water, and researchers
are seeking alternative methods of fertilizing. Plants
absorb the nitrogen fertilizers when it is changed to
ammonia by "nitrogen-fixing" bacteria in the soil. Scientists
at Cornell University have isolated a group of genes in
these "nitrogen-fixers" and spliced them into yeast cells.
This allows the plants to utilize nitrogen themselves,
without the use of the fertilizers.
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Larger crops
Genetic
technology is being used to grow bigger and better
oat crops. Researchers at Cornell University are
mapping the genes of oat DNA for specific traits.
Once the oat genome has been mapped and identified,
scientists can identify superior alleles based on
DNA sequence. Scientists have also been able to
"improve" upon foods by adding extra nutrients to
make the food healthier. Soy beans may be improved
to supply many times their normal amount of protein,
for example. At present, genetically engineered
seed is used to grow 60% of the soy crop in the
United States.
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Courtesy
USDA ARS
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Increased production
Milk
and meat production can be increased using hormones produced
by bacteria. The genes that would tell the body to produce
a certain hormone, such as the hormone that controls milk
production in cows, may be inserted into a bacterium.
The bacterium is harmless, and upon receiving the new
genetic information, diverts all of its resources and
energy to producing the hormone. The hormone is harvested,
and injected into cows. Since the hormone is completely
natural, milk production is increased without any side
effects or chemical difference than milk from non treated
cows.
    
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