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NanobiotechnologyinAgriculture
October2012
Author:BryonyBrennan

Agriculturalpracticesareofteninthelimelightbecauseclimate
changeandanincreasingglobalpopulationareplacing
unprecedentedpressureonfoodandwaterresources.
Nanotechnologycanplayanimportantroleinimproving
agriculturalproductivitywhiledecreasingagricultural
consumptionofwateranddecreasingenvironmentalpollution
causedbyagriculturalrunoff.Explorer'sNanobiotechnology
TechnologyMapdescribesexamplesofnanotechnologyin
agriculturalproduction.

In2011,theglobalpopulationsurpassed7billion.A2009report,HowtoFeedthe
Worldin2050,bytheFoodandAgricultureOrganization(FAO)oftheUnitedNations
projectsthattheglobalpopulationwillincreaseto9.1billionby2050.Analystsfind
populationdifficulttopredictaccuratelybecauseofthelargenumberofvariablesthat
influencewomen'sfertilityrate.However,anysuchincreaseintheglobalpopulation
numberislikelytoplacepressureontheworld'sresources,includingfoodandwater.
Thispressureonresourceswilllikelybecompoundedbyclimatechangeand
deforestation,leadingtodesertificationofcurrentlyagriculturallyproductiveregions.
Landforfoodcropsalsofacesincreasingcompetitionfromlandforcropsforother
purposessuchastheproductionofbiofuelsandpharmaceuticals.However,companies'
recentexploitationofshalegasreservesislikelytoalleviatesomeofthepressureon
landusecausedbycompetitionwithbiofuelcrops,particularlyifcountriessuchasthe
UnitedStatesfeellesspressurethantheyfeeltodaytoswitchtobiofuels.
TheFAOpredictsthatannualcerealproductionneedstoincreaseby0.9billiontonnes
andannualmeatproductionby200milliontonnesby2050torespondtothefood
needsboughtaboutbythegrowthinglobalpopulation.The2050annualmeat
productionfigureis174%of2009levelsandissohighbecausetheFAOistakinginto
considerationtheincreaseinmeatconsumptionthatoftenfollowsanincreasein
nationalprosperityandurbanizationadevelopmentanalystsseeinChina.Increasing
demandformeatputsfurtherpressureonagriculturallandbecausefarmersneedto
growcropstoproduceanimalfeed.Somegovernments(forexample,SaudiArabiaand
China)arebuyinglargeswathesoflandinAfricatofendofffuturefoodshortages.
Althoughsomecompaniesforexample,ModernMeadowaredeveloping
manufacturingmethodstoengineermeat,thesemethodsarestillalongwayfrom
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fruition.However,improvementsinmeatsubstitutesthatareplant,fungus,or
microbialinoriginmayreducethedemandformeatinthenextdecade.
Policymakers,organizations,andindividualsincludingnanotechnologyspecialists
haveproposed,andtoalesserextentimplemented,manysolutionstotheimpending
foodcrisis.Scientistsandcompanieshaveappliednanotechnologytotrytoimprovecrop
growth.Oneofnanotechnology'sadvantagesisthatcompaniescanputmoleculesinto
tinypackagesanddesignthepackagessothattheyreleasethemoleculeslowlyover
timeinadirectedmanner.Consequently,farmerscanreducetheamountofthe
moleculeforexample,water,fertilizer,orherbicidesnecessarytohavethedesired
effectonthecrop.Companiesarealsodesigningnanosensors,includingnanobiosensors,
thatcanmonitoraspectsoftheagriculturalenvironmentandplanthealth.Other
nanotechnologyusesincludenanomagnetstoremovesoilcontaminants,
nanomembranesforwatertreatmentinagriculture,andusesinfoodprocessingand
packaging.

GeneticallyModifiedCrops:TheBubblingCauldron
Inthepast15years,companieslikeMonsanto,Syngenta,andBASFhaveusedgenetic
modificationofcropstointroducenew,morefavorabletraitsintocrops.Genetic
modificationsincluderesistancetospecificherbicidesandthedesignofplantstohave
optimalgrowthinlandthattheywouldotherwisestruggletogrowin.Incomparison
withmammaliancells,plantcellshaveanextralayerofdefensebecausetheyhavea
cellwallcreatingauniquechallengetoscientiststryingtodeliverDNAfragments(for
example,genes)intothecell.However,companieshavesuccessfullyovercomethis
challengebyusuallyeitherinfectingtheplantcellswiththeAgrobacterium
tumefasciensgenusofbacteria,whichtheyengineertocontaintheDNAthattheywant
toputintothecellsorbyblastingthecellswiththeDNAofinterestusingagenegun.
(Scientistsfiregoldortungstenmicroparticlesfromthegeneguneachmicroparticle
coatedwiththegenetheywanttotransferintothecellsusingthemethodofbiolistics.
Scientistshavealsofiredgenesintoplantcellsusingnanoparticlesandgoldnanorods
insteadofmicroparticles.)
AlthoughtechniquestodeliverDNAintoplantsarenowroutine,scientistsfindthe
deliveryofothermoleculessuchasproteinsintoplantsmorechallenging.One
advantageofscientists'beingabletocodeliverproteinswithDNAfragmentsintoplants
wouldbetoeditthegenomeoftheplantinaspecificmannerforexample,by
targetingtheDNAfragmentofinteresttoacertainsiteinthegenome.Researchersled
byKanWang(directorofthePlantTransformationFacility)fromIowaStateUniversity
havefoundawaytosolvetheproblemofproteincodeliverywithDNA.InMay2012,
AdvancedFunctionalMaterialspublishedWang'spaperonline.Thepaperdescribesthe
codeliveryofproteinsandDNAintoonion,tobacco,andmaizeplanttissuesbymeansof
abiolisticmethod.Thescientistsused500nanometergoldplatedmesoporoussilica
nanoparticles.Theyloadedtheproteinintotheporesofthenanoparticlesandthen
coatedthenanoparticleswiththeDNA.TheworkwaspartiallyfundedbyPioneerHi
Bred.
Althoughnanotechnologycanhelpimprovethedeliveryofmoleculestocellstoproduce
geneticallymodified(GM)crops,GMcropsandthefoodsthatderivefromthemare
highlycontroversialinsomepartsoftheworld.Ascientificstudypublishedonlinein
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September2012bythejournalFoodandChemicalToxicologyonceagainhasraisedthe
controversialnatureofGMcrops.Thejournalpublishedthefindingsofscientistsledby
GillesEricSralinifromtheUniversityofCaeninFranceandtheUniversityofVerona
inItaly.GillesEricSraliniisthepresidentoftheScientificBoardofaFrenchantiGM
organization,CRIIGEN.Theresearchersprovidedthefirstlongtermstudyonthe
toxicityinratsofMonsanto'sRoundupresistantmaize(NK603).Roundupisaherbicide
fromMonsantothatusesglyphosateasitsactiveingredient.Thepaperreportsthat
boththeGMmaizeandexposuretoRoundupincreasedratmortalityoverthetwoyear
timeperiodinfemalerats.Inthemalerats,incontrast,onlytheGMmaizefeed,not
theRoundupalone,increasedmortality.Manyscientistshaveopenlycriticizedthework,
particularlyDr.Sralini'sstatisticalanalysis.Regardlessofscientists'objectionstothe
paper,manyGMoppositiongroupshavetakenthepaperassupportfortheircause,and
somegovernmentsaregrowingmoreconcernedaboutGMsafety.
TherecentSraliniandcoworkerspaperhasledmanypeopletocallforareevaluation
oftheEuropeanUnion'sstancetowardimportingproductscontainingGMcrops.The
EuropeanUnionalreadyhasanotoriouslyquitenegativestancetowardGMcrops,
grantingcultivationrightsforonlytwoGMcrops:Monsanto'sMON810insecticide
resistantmaizeandBASF'sGMpotatoAmflora.However,inJanuary2012,BASF
announceditsdecisiontostopsellingAmfloraandanyfutureGMcropsitpreviously
intendedtosellinEuropeforcultivationbecauseofthehostileenvironmenttoGM.
ReportsinthepressindicatethattheFrenchNationalAgencyforHealthSafety
(ANSES),theRussianInstituteofNutrition,andtheEuropeanFoodSafetyAgencyare
allintendingtoassessDr.Sralini'sstudyandpotentiallyreevaluatetheirstanceson
NK603maize.TheRussianconsumerrightsregulator,Rospotrebnadzor,hastemporarily
bannedtheimportoffoodandfeedcontainingMonsanto'sNK603maizeuntilthe
resultsoftheevaluationcomeinfromtheRussianInstituteofNutrition.Elsewhere,
BloombergBusinessweekreportsthattheAfricanCentreforBiosafetyhasaskedthe
SouthAfricangovernmentto"banits[NK603]cultivation,importandexport."South
AfricacurrentlygrowsandconsumesalargeamountofGMmaize.
EvenintheUnitedStates,acountrywithareputationforbeingGMfriendly,themedia
arereportingthatthislateststudymayhavechangedsomepeople'ssupportforGM.
Accordingtoa2011CongressionalResearchServicereport,60%to70%offood
productsonsaleintheUnitedStatescontainGMcropmaterial.InNovember2012,
votersinCaliforniaaregoingtovoteonProposition37:"TheCaliforniaRighttoKnow
GeneticallyEngineeredFoodAct."IfProposition37passes,Californiawillbethefirst
stateintheUnitedStatestomandatelabelingoffoodproductscontainingGMmaterial.
OtherstatesmaychoosetofollowCalifornia'slead.However,amoresignificantimpact
onfoodproductmanufacturersofGMcropseedsandfarmersgrowingGMcropsmaybe
causedbyfoodproductmanufacturers'decidingtolabelfoodproductscontainingGM
acrossthewholeUnitedStatesratherthanjustinCaliforniatosaveonlabelingcosts.
Thisuniversallabelingdecisionmaymakefoodproductmanufacturerschoosetosource
theingredientsfortheirproductsfromnonGMsources.Also,consumersmayactively
decidetopurchasenonGMcontainingfoodproducts,reducingthedemandforGMcrops
intheimmediatetomediumterm.
TheUnitedStatesisoneoftheworld'scurrentbreadbaskets.However,2012has
provedtobeadifficultyearforUScropfarmers.FarmersintheUnitedStatesembraced
GMcropsinthe1990sbecauseGMcropsprovidedyieldgainsandreductionsinthe
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amountofherbicideandinsecticidetheyrequired.AccordingtotheInternationalService
fortheAcquisitionofAgriBiotechApplications'(ISAAA's)GlobalStatusof
CommercializedBiotech/GMCrops:2011report,theUnitedStatesgrowsthemost
"biotech/GM"crops,totaling69millionhectares(170.5millionacres)in2011.The
ISAAAsaysthatbiotech/GMcropcultivationaccountsfor"anaverageadoptionrateof
90%acrossitsprincipalbiotechcrops."OneoftheprincipalGMcropsgrowninthe
UnitedStatesisMonsanto'sRoundupresistantmaize.However,problemsarisewhen
farmersgrowmonocultures,becausetheevolutionofRoundupresistantsuperweeds
cancreatemajorproblemsforfarmers.AccordingtoanewsarticlebyMattMcGrath
publishedbytheBBCinSeptember2012,superweedsareaffecting15millionacresof
cropsintheUnitedStates.Thisriseinsuperweedswascoincidentalwithadisastrous
yearforfoodharvestingintheUnitedStatesbecauseofseveredroughtconditions.The
knockoneffectofdroughtandsuperweedsisaleapingrainprices.AlthoughGMcrop
manufacturersaredevelopingnewproductsthatareresistanttoseveralother
herbicidesforexampleDowAgrosciences'Enlistsomesuperweedaffectedfarmers
maybereluctanttobuyGMcropseedsagainintheimmediatefuture.However,
ongoingproblemswithextremeweatherconditions(suchasdroughtintheUnited
StatesandwetweatherintheUnitedKingdom)mayencourageotherfarmerstobuy
seedsforGMcropsthatcompanieshaveengineeredtosurviveextremeweather
conditions.

ConcludingPerspectives
WhatdotheSraliniandcoworkersstudy,Proposition37,andthedevelopmentof
superweedsmeanforcompaniesinterestedinnanobiotechnology?Althoughscientists
disputethemeritoftheSralinistudy,ithaslikelyraisedtheprofileofantiGMrhetoric
acrossabroadareaoftheworld.Proposition37andthedevelopmentofherbicide
resistantsuperweedswillalsolikelymakeGMcropslessappealingtofoodproduct
manufacturersandfarmersintheimmediatetomediumterm.Consequently,potential
futureusesofnanotechnologyproductstoaidtheproductionofGMcropsarelikelyto
belimitedinthattimeframe.However,agricultureisabigbusinessthatisbecoming
increasinglyimportantinaworldofdiminishingresourcesandaneverincreasingglobal
population.Consequently,onecanenvisagethatcompaniescreatingGMcropswillhave
anewleaseonlifeinthemoredistantfuture,andnanotechnologysolutionstogenetic
modificationmayplayanimportantroleatthistime.
Improvementsinfarmingefficienciesbecauseoftechnologyimplementationinthe
developingworldeconomieswillhelptoalleviatefoodshortages.Farmersarealsolikely
toembraceother,nonGM,cropstrategiesthatimprovecropsurvivalinextreme
weatherconditions.Forexample,somescientistsareattemptingtocreatedrought
resistantcropsbytransferringacrosstofoodcropsthemicrobiomeofplantsthatlivein
droughtconditions.Inthelongterm,alternativesourcesofproteinthatdonotrequire
rearinglivestockwillalleviatepressureonlandresourcescurrentlyinusetoraisecrops
foranimalfeed.
Overall,theagriculturebusinessprovidesmanydiverseopportunitiesfor
nanotechnologytoplayanimportantrole.Buttoensurethatpublicopiniondoesnot
turnagainstproductsusingnanotechnology,companiesandscientistswillneedtoprove
thatthesenanotechnologiesdonothavemoreofanegativeimpactonthe
environmentthantheproblemtheyareattemptingtosolveforexample,pollution
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fromexcessfertilizeruse.Nanotechnologiesmostlikelywillplayanincreasingly
importantroleinagricultureinthenext50years,providingnewandinnovative
solutionstoenableagriculturetomeetthefooddemandsoftheincreasingglobal
populationbetter.

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