IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v8y2016i5p495-d70523.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Genetic Engineering and Sustainable Crop Disease Management: Opportunities for Case-by-Case Decision-Making

Author

Listed:
  • Paul Vincelli

    (Department of Plant Pathology, 207 Plant Science Building, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40546, USA)

Abstract

Genetic engineering (GE) offers an expanding array of strategies for enhancing disease resistance of crop plants in sustainable ways, including the potential for reduced pesticide usage. Certain GE applications involve transgenesis, in some cases creating a metabolic pathway novel to the GE crop. In other cases, only cisgenessis is employed. In yet other cases, engineered genetic changes can be so minimal as to be indistinguishable from natural mutations. Thus, GE crops vary substantially and should be evaluated for risks, benefits, and social considerations on a case-by-case basis. Deployment of GE traits should be with an eye towards long-term sustainability; several options are discussed. Selected risks and concerns of GE are also considered, along with genome editing, a technology that greatly expands the capacity of molecular biologists to make more precise and targeted genetic edits. While GE is merely a suite of tools to supplement other breeding techniques, if wisely used, certain GE tools and applications can contribute to sustainability goals.

Suggested Citation

  • Paul Vincelli, 2016. "Genetic Engineering and Sustainable Crop Disease Management: Opportunities for Case-by-Case Decision-Making," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(5), pages 1-22, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:8:y:2016:i:5:p:495-:d:70523
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/8/5/495/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/8/5/495/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Vijesh Krishna & Matin Qaim & David Zilberman, 2016. "Transgenic crops, production risk and agrobiodiversity," European Review of Agricultural Economics, Oxford University Press and the European Agricultural and Applied Economics Publications Foundation, vol. 43(1), pages 137-164.
    2. Shawn McGuire & Louise Sperling, 2016. "Seed systems smallholder farmers use," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 8(1), pages 179-195, February.
    3. Jonathan D. G. Jones & Jeffery L. Dangl, 2006. "The plant immune system," Nature, Nature, vol. 444(7117), pages 323-329, November.
    4. Shawn McGuire & Louise Sperling, 2016. "Seed systems smallholder farmers use," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 8(1), pages 179-195, February.
    5. Fernandez-Cornejo, Jorge & Livingston, Michael J. & Mitchell, Lorraine & Wechsler, Seth, 2014. "Genetically Engineered Crops in the United States," Economic Research Report 164263, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    6. Fangbin Qiao & Jikun Huang & Linxiu Zhang & Scott Rozelle, 2012. "Pesticide use and farmers' health in China's rice production," China Agricultural Economic Review, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 4(4), pages 468-484, November.
    7. Andrew D. W. Geering & Florian Maumus & Dario Copetti & Nathalie Choisne & Derrick J. Zwickl & Matthias Zytnicki & Alistair R. McTaggart & Simone Scalabrin & Silvia Vezzulli & Rod A. Wing & Hadi Quesn, 2014. "Endogenous florendoviruses are major components of plant genomes and hallmarks of virus evolution," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 5(1), pages 1-11, December.
    8. Michael Eisenstein, 2014. "Biotechnology: Against the grain," Nature, Nature, vol. 514(7524), pages 55-57, October.
    9. Wilhelm Klümper & Matin Qaim, 2014. "A Meta-Analysis of the Impacts of Genetically Modified Crops," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 9(11), pages 1-7, November.
    10. Guanming Shi & Jean-Paul Chavas & Joseph Lauer & Elizabeth Nolan, 2013. "An Analysis of Selectivity in the Productivity Evaluation of Biotechnology: An Application to Corn," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 95(3), pages 739-754.
    11. Kouser, Shahzad & Qaim, Matin, 2011. "Impact of Bt cotton on pesticide poisoning in smallholder agriculture: A panel data analysis," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 70(11), pages 2105-2113, September.
    12. Ahmed H. Badran & Victor M. Guzov & Qing Huai & Melissa M. Kemp & Prashanth Vishwanath & Wendy Kain & Autumn M. Nance & Artem Evdokimov & Farhad Moshiri & Keith H. Turner & Ping Wang & Thomas Malvar &, 2016. "Continuous evolution of Bacillus thuringiensis toxins overcomes insect resistance," Nature, Nature, vol. 533(7601), pages 58-63, May.
    13. Philip H. Howard, 2009. "Visualizing Consolidation in the Global Seed Industry: 1996–2008," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 1(4), pages 1-22, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Sean Clark, 2020. "Organic Farming and Climate Change: The Need for Innovation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(17), pages 1-7, August.
    2. Daniel P. Roberts & Autar K. Mattoo, 2018. "Sustainable Agriculture—Enhancing Environmental Benefits, Food Nutritional Quality and Building Crop Resilience to Abiotic and Biotic Stresses," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 8(1), pages 1-24, January.
    3. Elena Rosculete & Elena Bonciu & Catalin Aurelian Rosculete & Elena Teleanu, 2018. "Detection and Quantification of Genetically Modified Soybean in Some Food and Feed Products. A Case Study on Products Available on Romanian Market," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-13, April.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Elizabeth Nolan & Paulo Santos, 2019. "Genetic modification and yield risk: A stochastic dominance analysis of corn in the USA," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(10), pages 1-10, October.
    2. Matin Qaim, 2020. "Role of New Plant Breeding Technologies for Food Security and Sustainable Agricultural Development," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 42(2), pages 129-150, June.
    3. Lee, Seungki & Moschini, GianCarlo & Perry, Edward D., 2023. "Genetically engineered varieties and applied pesticide toxicity in U.S. maize and soybeans: Heterogeneous and evolving impacts," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 211(C).
    4. Thomas Pircher & Conny J. M. Almekinders, 2021. "Making sense of farmers’ demand for seed of root, tuber and banana crops: a systematic review of methods," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 13(5), pages 1285-1301, October.
    5. Mabaya, Edward & Kachule, Richard & Waithaka, Michael & Mugoya, Mainza & Kanyenji, George & Tihanyi, Krisztina, 2021. "Malawi Country Report 2020," TASAI: The African Seed Access Index-Reports 317014, TASAI: The African Seed Access Index.
    6. Paul Rachkara & David Paul Phillips & Stephen Wamala Kalule & Richard William Gibson, 2017. "Innovative and beneficial informal sweetpotato seed private enterprise in northern Uganda," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 9(3), pages 595-610, June.
    7. Myat Thida Win & Mywish K. Maredia & Duncan Boughton, 2023. "Farmer demand for certified legume seeds and the viability of farmer seed enterprises: Evidence from Myanmar," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 15(2), pages 555-569, April.
    8. Waithaka, Michael & Mugoya, Mainza & Mabaya, Edward & Tihanyi, Krisztina, 2021. "Decentralized Seed Services in Africa: An Assessment of Tanzania and Uganda," Working Papers 309806, University of Bonn, Center for Development Research (ZEF).
    9. Adu-Gyamfi Poku & Regina Birner & Saurabh Gupta, 2018. "Why do maize farmers in Ghana have a limited choice of improved seed varieties? An assessment of the governance challenges in seed supply," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 10(1), pages 27-46, February.
    10. repec:lic:licosd:40718 is not listed on IDEAS
    11. Louise Sperling & Conny J. M. Almekinders, 2023. "Informal Commercial Seed Systems: Leave, Suppress or Support Them?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(18), pages 1-14, September.
    12. Michael Halewood & Ana Bedmar Villanueva & Jazzy Rasolojaona & Michelle Andriamahazo & Naritiana Rakotoniaina & Bienvenu Bossou & Toussaint Mikpon & Raymond Vodouhe & Lena Fey & Andreas Drews & P. Lav, 2021. "Enhancing farmers’ agency in the global crop commons through use of biocultural community protocols," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 38(2), pages 579-594, June.
    13. Rijal, Sital & Bhattarai, Prakash C. & Dhungana, Ganesh & Shrestha, Richan & Shah, Kabita, 2024. "Seed Storage Practices and Cultivation Techniques: A Survey in Gajuri Rural Municipality, Nepal," Problems of World Agriculture / Problemy Rolnictwa Światowego, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, vol. 24(2), June.
    14. Yingjie Song & Qiong Fang & Devra Jarvis & Keyu Bai & Dongmei Liu & Jinchao Feng & Chunlin Long, 2019. "Network Analysis of Seed Flow, a Traditional Method for Conserving Tartary Buckwheat ( Fagopyrum tataricum ) Landraces in Liangshan, Southwest China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(16), pages 1-14, August.
    15. Essegbemon Akpo & Gebrekidan Feleke & Asnake Fikre & Mekasha Chichaybelu & Chris O. Ojiewo & Rajeev K. Varshney, 2020. "Analyzing Pathways of Nurturing Informal Seed Production into Formal Private Ventures for Sustainable Seed Delivery and Crop Productivity: Experiences from Ethiopia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(17), pages 1-18, August.
    16. Chrispin Sunganani Kaphaika & Samson Pilanazo Katengeza & Innocent Pangapanga-Phiri & Madalitso Happy Chambukira, 2023. "More Interventions, Low Adoption: To What Extent Are the Existing Seed Sources to Blame? The Case of Orange Fleshed Sweet Potato in Central and Northern Malawi," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(19), pages 1-20, September.
    17. S. Marimuthu & C. Vanitha & U. Surendran & Salah El-Hendawy & Mohamed A. Mattar, 2024. "Conception of Improved Blackgram ( Vigna mungo L.) Production Technology and its Propagation among Farmers for the Development of a Sustainable Seeds Production Strategy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(11), pages 1-16, June.
    18. Eileen Bogweh Nchanji & Cosmas Kweyu Lutomia & Odhiambo Collins Ageyo & David Karanja & Eliezah Kamau, 2021. "Gender-Responsive Participatory Variety Selection in Kenya: Implications for Common Bean ( Phaseolus vulgaris L.) Breeding in Kenya," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-17, November.
    19. Lilian Nkengla-Asi & Favour Eforuoku & Olamide Olaosebikan & Temitope Adejoju Ladigbolu & Delphine Amah & Rachid Hanna & P. Lava Kumar, 2021. "Gender Roles in Sourcing and Sharing of Banana Planting Material in Communities with and without Banana Bunchy Top Disease in Nigeria," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-14, March.
    20. Fernandez-Cornejo, Jorge & Valle, Karen, 2014. "A Hedonic Model of Corn Seed Prices," 2014 Annual Meeting, July 27-29, 2014, Minneapolis, Minnesota 169667, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    21. Julius Okello & Yuan Zhou & Ian Barker & Elmar Schulte-Geldermann, 2019. "Motivations and Mental Models Associated with Smallholder Farmers’ Adoption of Improved Agricultural Technology: Evidence from Use of Quality Seed Potato in Kenya," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 31(2), pages 271-292, April.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:8:y:2016:i:5:p:495-:d:70523. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.