Progress in Plant Biotechnology

The production of transgenic plants is at the very center of many recent studies in plant physiology, developmental biology, and biochemistry. We have in fact reached the stage where molecular and cellular concepts and techniques are being integrated with more traditional plant sciences and are thereby giving a tremendous stimulus to plant sciences as a whole. The use of transgenic plants will contribute significantly to the solution of agricultural and environmental problems.

Several different more-or-less simple and effective ways to transform wheat and other cereals, as well as other crops, are now being reported. Given sufficient effort, methods should become available for the molecular breeding of most, if not all, crops relevant to agriculture. Hopefully, sufficient attention will be paid to regional crops of importance primarily to local population in the developing world.

Some topics have already blossomed, illustrating well the potential of present-day plant sciences. I can thus safely predict that in the near future we will know more of the details of the molecular mechanisms underlying plant-pathogen resistance mechanisms. Elicitor receptors will most likely soon be isolated and characterized, along with genes involved in localized pathogen-induced programmed cell death. Plant breeders will us isolated resistance genes to produce crops with improved resistance to a variety of pathogens and pests.

Also, we are beginning to understand the mechanism of action of some phytohormones (especially auxins, ethylene, and ABA). For example, phytohormones, such as auxins, work through different mechanisms of action, only some of which involve a signal transduction pathway starting with a cell surface localized receptor. We also know that we will have to expand the list of chemicals that act as phytohormones. Indeed, oligosaccharides and, more recently, lipooligosaccharides have been shown to markedly affect and probably control plan growth and development not only in legumes but also in other plants (e.g., tobacco, carrots).

All of these subjects, of course, have something in common: they focus-and will increasingly do so-on the study of molecular signalling in plants. What has been found thus far is that the general principles underlying signal transduction are the same in plants as in other eukaryotes. What makes plants special, however, will still have to be elucidated.

Fortunately, the progress in applied plant biotechnology is fully matching, and in fact stimulating, the fundamental scientific progress. This is fortunate because the real driving force behind this science is the success of applied plant biotechnology. An example is plant protection based on the expression of introduced genes that provide a possible solution to the problem of the emergence of resistant pathogens and pests and new quality traits as well as future crops producing tailor-made nonfood products (lipids, carbohydrates, biodegradable thermoplastics, etc.). Only if plant biotechnology becomes a commercial as well as an environmental success, will I consider that this fascinating research has reached its goal.