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FUNDED BY SOYBEAN CHECKOFF DOLLARS | |||||
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| Biotechnology Brings New Products To Producers And Consumers by Walter R. Fehr, Distinguished Professor of Agriuclture and Director of Agriculture and Director of the Office of Biotechnology, Iowa State University Biotechnology will provide unique soybean products to producers and consumers that cannot be developed with conventional technology. With conventional technology, soybean breeders are only able to utilize genes of the soybean to improve the crop. With biotechnology, a gene in any living organism has the potential for providing new characteristics that benefit both producers and consumers. The possibilities for new soybean products through biotechnology are expanding at a rapid rate. The first of the unique products was RoundUp Ready® soybeans. Biotechnology was used to isolate from a soil bacteria the DNA of the gene controlling resistance, to the herbicide and to insert the DNA into the soybean. This would not have been possible with conventional technology. Biotechnology is aiding soybean breeders to more readily develop varieties with resistance to the soybean cyst nematode, brown stem rot and other pests. DNA associated with resistance to the pests has been identified. Breeders are able to distinguish resistant and susceptible plants by evaluating their DNA instead of relying only on conventional tests in which the plants are exposed to pests. Many seed companies are using biotechnology in their breeding programs to improve their development of superior soybean varieties. As new problems develop in soybean production, biotechnology is being asked to provide solutions. The soybean aphid and bean leaf beetle are new problems for soybean producers. No effective resistance to the insects has been found in thousands of soybean lines from around the world. Biotechnologists may be able to find unique genes to control the pests. Similarly, there are teams of biotechnologists looking for unique ways to control the soybean cyst nematode, viruses, and other diseases. Unique changes in seed composition can be made through biotechnology. Soybeans with high oleic acid in their oil have been developed through biotechnology for food and industrial products. High oleic acid is considered desirable for cardiovascular health. Soybean oil with high oleic acid is being tested as a replacement for petroleum in lubricants to improve environmental quality. Biotechnologists are pursuing additional changes in seed composition, including improved amino acid composition and increased isoflavone content. The prospect of new soybean products through biotechnology is very exciting. The products will provide new tools for soybean production, more nutritious soy-based foods and animal feeds, and new industrial applications. |
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| ISA • 4554 N.W. 114th Street • Urbandale, IA 50322-5410 • Ph. 515-251-8640 • Fax 515-251-8657 | ||||||
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