Title:

Authors:
by Sneha Borikar

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Technology Summary:
Biosentinel crops are plants that produce an observable signal such as a color change or pungent odor in response to a harmful environmental condition. Alerting farmers to these conditions so that they can take appropriate action can increase crop yield and results in an increased productivity by small-scale farmers. This is meant to be an alternative to transgenetically modified food.

Draft Text:
Technology Analysis Paper : Farming Genetics


Imagine as a farmer, you look out along your field of corn and see nothing but pink. What would you do? Are you frightened...scared...how about relieved? If you're a biosentinel farmer, then it's probably the latter, because now you know that your corn needs more water and you can act on that information. Inspiration for biosentinel crops came from the most appropriate source, the people who know crops best- farmers. A tradition handed down for centuries, farmers use secondary plants to tell whether their main food crops will be profitable or not. Rosebushes are planted within vineyards to predict whether that year’s grapes will wilt due to powdery mildew or grey mold since roses show symptoms earlier than similarly susceptible grapes[1]. A new generation of bioindicators has arrived as an alternative to the highly controversial transgenetically modified (GM) food movement. These plants are genetically modified to give a dramatic physical signal in response to a debilitating environmental condition. The difference between this and the regular GM foods is that these plants are simply planted in proximity to the crops that are grown for food but are not meant to be eaten themselves. Major social and economic gains are meant to be made from these plants, but only for the small-scale farmers who grow them. An increase in crop yield each season will reduce famine, while increasing the economic sustainability of local farms and farmers.

Fortune Magazine named biosentinel crops as one of the “Seven Best Tools for Better Living.[2]” These were inventions or institutions that proved a positive impact on the social and economic structure of developing nations. In particular, biosentinel crops have been deployed in the South-East Asian region where agriculture is the primary source of income. Over 55% of the general population of this area is involved in farming; however, over 46% suffer from malnutrition[3]. How can nations so focused on growing food, not be growing enough to feed even half their populations? Low crop yield has many factors- unpredictable weather, natural disasters, infections, insects, and carelessness. Signs of these factors can come too late to treat the crops to prevent loss.


The nations of India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Burma and Nepal have a similar hot and humid climate that makes the plants prone to bacterial and fungal infection. Global warming has caused such dramatic climate changes recently all over the world and makes forecasting the season extremely difficult. Mainland Southeast Asia relies heavily on the great rivers that flow down from the Himalayas – the Mekong, the Irrawaddy, the Red River and the Salween, as well as many others. The regular flow of these rivers is projected to change catastrophically because the Himalayan glaciers are melting at a very rapid rate. At current rates, the glaciers will have completely vanished within the next two or three decades. Now more than ever, farmers need a way to tell if their harvest is suffering from the sun or lack of water.

	GM Foods	Biosentinel
Advantages	create insect resistant crops create hearty weather resistant crops already established provide increased crop yield low cost crop maintenance can be introduced into ANY plant	plants are not ingested indicates low water levels indicates insect or infection alerts farmers to create action non-patented low cost service can be introduced into many plants created through its own genes
Disadvantages	no long term tests created through animal genes possible cross infection expensive for developing countries (patents) unethical manipulation of living genes	no long term tests not thoroughly established possible cross contamination unethical manipulation of living genes

The current widely accepted method for these environmental problems is genetically modified foods such as corn, wheat, and rye. These new generations of crops have had their innate genetic material manipulated so that properties from other species can be exploited such as disease-resistance and natural toxin to insects. However, there is much controversy over the consumption of these “unnatural” foods, especially in eastern culture. Hinduism, Buddhism, and Taoism all stress that all living things, especially those that enter the body, should remainas God(s) intended. Genetic manipulation is seen as a direct violation of this rule and an act undermining Their wishes. Social traditions and religious beliefs rule the legislation of these countries; therefore, genetically modified foods have been, for the majority, outlawed due to the ethical rejection by these cultures. Thus, the dilemma lies in finding a solution to help the farmers who need it most without intruding on their ethical and social beliefs.

Since biosentinel crops are mainly secondary crops, they are not meant to be consumed. They circumvent the problem of consuming unnatural foods. In addition, if the bioindicating plant is in fact the food plant, then the benefit is that the genetic manipulation used is actually just triggering dormant genes that are already in the plant. It does not insert any foreign DNA, so the fear of transgenic consequences is reduced.

Vegetarians, who have qualms about eating vegetables with modifications from animals, will now have an option to eat purely non-animal products. However, it does not avoid the underlying ethical problem of manipulating genes in living organisms. In eastern philosophy this may still be seen as destruction of deistic creations.

The larger societal, medical and ethical concern that plagues this innovation is: what are the results later on? Already, we can see the effects of the presence of hormones in food. Children are progressively starting puberty at a much earlier age, especially young girls. What we eat has such an influence on our growth and development, that is only logical that we should have the most amount of testing on it. However, FDA regulations do not require testing of food products beyond 3 years, even for transgenetically modified ones. Considering it took the surgeon general 30 years to find the damaging effects of tobacco, how long should we expect before the harmful side effects of any GM foods finally appears? Enthusiasts of bioindicators claim that since the plants are secondary, and not directly ingested that there should be no side-effects. However, it is a common finding that subtle flavors of neighboring plants can be tasted in crops, especially fruit. If flavors of surrounding plants can be detected, then proteins, hormones, and other biofactors can easily diffuse as well. If GM foods are to be considered engineered products, then they should be subject to the same stringent testing regulations as pharmaceuticals. Therefore, how can we allow the general population to consume untested food. It is arguably equivalent to giving them an experimental medical drug without their consent. These ethical questions go beyond eastern philosophy and are haunting the western creators of this technology.

The economy of this eastern developing area is, however, highly agricultural which lends itself to the need for this technology. It has a rising middle class, but a drastically large percentage of the south east Asian nations are lower class or at the poverty line. Approximately 30% lives on less than a dollar a day. Currently, this region is not economically sustainable. It has a tremendous currency deficit and does not produce enough of its agriculture to support itself let alone have any excess to export. However, with the growing movement of westernization and rapid development, the countries have been focused on increasing technological industries and a capitalist market. One of their new concentrations is the emerging biotechnology field. The businesses of the regions are receptive to the idea of increasing production yields and using biotechnology to get there.


In one particular example of a biosentinel product, a weedy plant is genetically engineered to produce a red color visible in the leaves and stems to detect the presence of land mines. The gene expression is induced by a receptor activated by the breakdown of TNT in the soil. The actual color change is caused by an alteration in the regulation of natural pigment biosynthesis pathways in plants. This pathway is normally seen when plants turn red in autumn because of the synthesis and accumulation of anthocyanin from stressed growth conditions. This is the basis of biosentinel crops. An already existing gene or pathway is activated by a trigger that needs detecting.

An indicator species is chosen, it can either be the same crop that is to be eaten (biosentinel corn is a popular choice) or it may be a plant that is grown alongside the profitable one (similar to the rosebush example). These choices are preferably done by the farmer themselves with the help of an agriculturist. Then after the method of detection is chosen, a local agriculturist may look up the particular Transbacter project that has been in co-development in the Cambia and Bioforge open source directory. An open listing of research and protocols specifically in this area, the directory can deliver the exact method of gene alteration necessary without infringing on patent restrictions. The agriculturist will then find an appropriate receptor for the signal that needs to be detected. For example, if it was a nutrient deficiency that needed to be detected, then the roots of the plant are a good choice for receptor location. Transduction of the signal from the receptor site via a responsive system is mediated by normal protein pathways. There is no need to alter anything past the initial genetic trigger. The signal is then translated into something observable by way of a GUS gene product, anthocyanin gene (in the landmine example).




Pictures and Design Methodology from Research Links:
world Changing
BioForge- Rationale
Cambia
Fortune Magazine- 7 bets inventions