How Can Genetic Modification Improve Our Crops?

There’s no shortage of controversy surrounding genetically modified foods, with the general consensus being that messing with Mother Nature is wildly off beam. But what if GM science could actually improve agricultural crops for the better? A team of scientists is attempting to prove that GM isn’t the monster it’s made out to be, and has applied for a license to trail a genetically modified wheat crop in the UK. Modified to photosynthesise at a more efficient rate, the plants will grow faster, and allow farmers to maximise crop yields.

Breaking down GM barriers

If the trial goes ahead it will unfold on a small Hertfordshire farm, and will mark the UK’s second ongoing field trial project. It will also signify a change in attitudes towards the development of GM crops in Britain, which could pave the way for future projects. Pro-GM advocates maintain that genetically modified plants have enormous potential, and that it’s the responsibility of agricultural scientists to explore new opportunities.

Approval could be granted as early as January 2017, which would see the first crops planted during the spring. The GM wheat would then be closely monitored, with a focus on whether or not the plants are able to convert sunlight into chemical energy at a more efficient rate than their organic counterparts.

Britain warms to concept of GM agriculture

While scientists have been experimenting with GM technology for more than two decades, it’s only recently that both the government and the public have warmed to the idea of open air trial crops. In the late 1990s efforts to trial GM harvests were thwarted by campaign groups who crushed the seedlings before they had a chance to mature. Protestors warn that the genes could transition to neighbouring plants, and create ‘super weeds’ that could wipe out British flora. Fierce public opposition put an end to trials from 2003 to 2010, however thanks to the efforts of pro-GM plant scientists, attitudes are changing.

Professor Christine Raines, research member of the proposed GM wheat trial team and head of Biological Sciences at the University of Essex explains, "I believe that there is less opposition to GM.” He adds, “I would like to think that it is to do with the fact there has been a great effort made by plant scientists to explain more fully and clearly the potential of GM plants to improve our future".

Meeting the needs of a hungry planet

With the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation predicting that global food production will need to spike by 70% by 2050 to meet the demands of the planet’s growing population, the need for solutions is pressing. Traditional breeding techniques haven’t led to increases in wheat yields for 30 years, which has forced scientists to start exploring other avenues. When trialled in greenhouses yields increased by up to 40%. While outdoor environments aren’t expected to be as successful, even increases of just 10% could make a vast difference.

"There is now evidence that improving the efficiency of photosynthesis by genetic modification is one of the promising approaches to achieve higher wheat yield potential," comments Raines.

As agricultural scientists explore new ways to grow more efficient crops, laboratory scientists are looking at how to determine saturated and unsaturated fatty acids in food samples. ‘Healthy Fat in Chips and Sausages? A new Method for Extraction, Digestion and Analysis of Fat in Food Samples’ explores the latest developments, with a focus on a newly developed, ultra-fast closed system microwave process.