Convergence of IT and Biotechnology Driving New Revolution in Agriculture.

BOSTON -- 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.