www.checkbiotech.org ; www.raupp.info ; www.czu.cz

Controversies about genetically modified organisms (GMOs) may dominate the
news, but engineering transgenic traits into plants and animals is really
just a tiny part of the biotech-driven revolution in agriculture.
According to a group of agbiotech experts, advances in modern
biotechnologies such as genomics, bioinformatics and molecular biology are
in fact moving the planet towards a sustainable bioeconomy future.

During the BIO 2007 International Convention in Boston, a panel of experts
from the United States, New Zealand, and Australia described how technology
and agriculture are converging to create solutions to strategic global needs
for food, feed and fuel.

"Humanity faces four major challenges," said Sano Shimoda, president of
BioScience Securities, "Finding renewable energy and sustainable sources of
materials, improving our environment and enhancing human health. The
convergence of information technology (IT) and molecular biology
dramatically increases agriculture's potential to supply fuel and animal
feed as well as more nutritious food."

Grain crops are not just food for humans and animals, but are now feedstocks
for biofuels production. Ray Riley, global head of corn and soybean product
development for Syngenta, stressed how increased competition for grain is
driving increases in corn and soybean productivity worldwide, with IT and
genomics advances providing better understanding of environmental effects on
gene expression and overall yields. Dr. Gerard Davis, CEO of
Australia-NewZealand-based Catapult Genetics, noted that global competition
for grain drives research aimed at improving the efficiency of cattle and
sheep in converting feed to meat, milk and biofeedstuffs. He described how
DNA analysis and genomics is supporting the targeted breeding of more
efficient livestock.

Fruit breeding, too, is drawing on a suite of biotechnologies to create more
novel, flavorful and fragrant varieties with increased health promoting
qualities. Dr. Gavin Ross, from New Zealand fruit developer HortResearch,
pointed out that advances in germplasm IT, plant genomics and flavor
biotechnologies, along with sustainable land use methods, are not only
generating tastier fruit varieties, but also new advances for human health
and the flavor and fragrance industries, as well as ecologically better
growing practices.

The panelists agreed that these advances are making productivity and human
health the main value drivers for agbiotech. However, they also warned that
realizing this potential to build a market-driven bioeconomy requires a
transformation in thinking from industry insiders as well as from
financiers, media, politicians and the public.

[www.genengnews.com]