Question

Sohan introduced his friend Ravi to his father and told that Ravi is doing M.Sc. Biotechnology. Ravi's father had never heard this term. He wanted to know about this term. What is biotechnology? List any two advantages and two limitations of biotechnology.

Answer 1

The application of living organisms to obtain important products which can be used for human welfare is called biotechnology.

Advantages of biotechnology:

• Improvement of plants and animal breeds to give a high yield of their products.
  
• Pests and pathogen control in agriculture which will reduce the loss of yield in food crops.
  
• Synthesis of biocatalyst which can be used for enhancing the reactions which can be carried out in vitro or laboratory conditions.
  
• Sewage treatment or water recycling can be done with the help of transgenic microbes which have better efficiency and speed.

Limitations of biotechnology:

• Cloning may result in misuse of this technique to produce genetic monsters.
  
• Due to transgenic genes, the insects may become resistant over time and more harmful insects may be produced.
  
• There will be more production of genetically modified crops which will result in loss of biodiversity.