Plant production has been tremendously increased by improving existing varieties and
developing new high yield and disease resistant varieties of plants and animals used as food.
There are various ways to increase the production of food and food keeping time.
Selective Breeding
Plants and animals breeders have developed new varieties of wheat, rice, corn, chicken and
sheep by using selective breeding techniques and principles of genetics. Poultry breeders have
developed broilers for getting quick and cheap white meat.
Genetic Engineering
Genes for disease resistance and desirable characters are introduced into plants using genetic
engineering techniques
Transgenic Plants
The plants having foreign genes incorporated into its DNA is called as transgenic plants. Such
plants can be propagated by cloning and tissue culture techniques.
Such transgenic plants can be propagated by using cloning and tissue culture techniques.
Cloning it is a method of asexual reproduction in which genetically identical organisms are
produced.
Tissue culture Technique it is a method of asexual reproduction in which a tissue from an
organism is grown in culture media and develops into a new organism is known as tissue culture
technique.
Biological control
The control of population of one type of organisms by using another type of organisms which is
its natural predator is known as biological control.
Plant pathogenic fungi, insect and pest of plants which weaken plants and reduce yield had been
controlled traditionally by fungicides and pesticides use. The use of these chemicals poses toxic
effect on human health and environmental pollution. Moreover there are chances of insects to
become resistant against these chemicals.
Examples an aphid that attacks walnut tree is biologically controlled by a wasp that parasitizes
that aphid.
Integrated disease management
Some bacteria are being used as bio-pesticides.
Effective control of a particular disease or all the diseases of plant can be achieved by using all
relevant appropriate method of disease control such an approach of disease control is called as
integrated disease management.
Hydroponic culture technique
Soil is a complex medium. It is almost impossible to conduct experiments on the nutrient
requirements of plants by growing them in soil.
“In this technique plants are grown in aerated water to check the requirements of plants that
whether a certain element is necessary for plant growth or not.”
Hydroponic farming is not yet feasible; astronauts may use it for growing vegetables
Preservation of Food
Different techniques of food preservation have been developed for protecting food from spoilage
and for its use and transport over long distances without damaging its quality. Pasteurization is
one of these food preservation techniques introduced by Louis Pasteur.
Killing of microorganisms or pathogens by heating milk or milk production.