BSCI124 Lecture Notes

Undergraduate Program in Plant Biology, University of Maryland

LECTURE 41 - PLANT IMPROVEMENTS: BIOTECHNOLOGY

I. Plant Breeding (in Maryland - 100 genetic companies) II. Recombinant DNA [Important Illustration] and the new Genetics: Genetic Engineering III. Combines two different technologies: Restriction Enzymes and Bacterial Plasmids IV. Actual gene transfer to plants: - what is a transgenic plant
                   (see this-process of making transgenic plant - animation of process) V. Applications of technology VI. Advantages of gene technology VII. Other current and possible benefits of gene technology X. Pros and cons of genetic engineering Other Sites of Interest:
All about Arabidopsis: "Guinea pig of the plant world" by Bryan Ness
Biotechnology and Agriculture
A series of short reviews; excellent summaries!
Access Excellence: WWW based teaching resources sponsored by Genentech, Inc.
Brief review and excellent definitions
Bio Online: Links to biotech information
BioBlox: Biotechnology Resource Center
A primer on molecular genetics but pretty technical
BioEthics: Links to resources on bioethics (little botanical)
Bt toxin links- USDA National Agriculture Library
Code of Conduct for Plant Biotechnology
A discussion of plant breeding, still a bit technical
CIMMYT: Where Norman Borlaug started the Green Revolution
Reviews of books and articles on the Green Revolution
Perils Amidst the Promise: Ecological risks of transgenic crops in a global market by Jane Rissler & Margaret Mellon -- An excellent review worthy of serious review
 

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Last revised: 5/13/99 - Bottino, 12/2000 Straney