Specialised plant uses S3 Biology

Learning Outcomes In this section I will be able to: - Outline some of the future uses of plants - Describe the process of Pharming - Discuss the potential benefits / risks of Pharming, and argue the case for or against this research

Current uses of plants Plants have a wide range of uses: - food - materials - medicines

Future use of Plants Food Sources 20 plants feed 90% of world population BUT: over 75,000 edible plants exist Some could be used to replace basic crops (rice, potato) Genetic Storehouse Wild plants can be bred with domestic plants e.g. wild corn (resistant to disease) + domestic corn (high food yield) = perfect crop amaranth

Future use of Plants (ctd.) Medicines: Over 2000 plants might be useful for medicines (anti-cancer or antibiotics) Only 40 plant species currently used New drugs have to go through trials: - human cells - animals - human volunteers

Pharming Where a species is genetically modified to produce a medically useful product Plants such as corn, tobacco or rice can be genetically modified - produce proteins that could be used as medicines Advantage - the product will be much easier and cheaper to produce than is currently possible - products include antibodies, vaccines and hormones However, the process is very controversial: E.g. modified pollen could be carried by wind to affect a wild plant - medicines could accidentally enter the food chain