Real-world problems

Plant disease

Plant diseases¹ are now detected, managed and treated because of scientific discoveries summarised by the Victorian Department of Primary Industries.

©Jean-Pol GRANDMONT²
CC BY-SA 2.5 AU³

Watch a video (7 minutes) from Catalyst⁴ about genetically modified bananas. GM bananas are grown in Uganda to prevent bacterial infection that causes wilt. Australian scientists have released GM bananas rich in micronutrients, such as iron, to India to help overcome anaemia and vitamin A to reduce blindness in East Africa.

As well as using gene technology to develop disease-resistant plants, biologists are also developing biological pesticides⁵. Cowpeas are a staple crop for over 200 million people in sub-Saharan Africa. Read how CSIRO scientists are developing insect protected cowpeas⁶.

Fruit fly⁷ that damage fruit and vegetable crops in eastern Australia are being combated by the release of irradiated, sterile male flies that compete with the normal males for a mate but produce no offspring.

Animal disease

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Public domain⁸

We now have a range of strategies to prevent, manage and treat animal diseases⁹ such foot and mouth disease. These management strategies have been developed because of our scientific understanding of the causes and modes of transmission. Listen to a podcast on the threat of foot and mouth disease¹⁰.

Many medications¹¹ developed to treat animal diseases are the result of biotechnology.

Watch how the CSIRO Animal Health Laboratory¹² helps to protect Australian agriculture from animal disease.

Sewage treatment

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Public domain¹³

Read a summary of modern wastewater treatment¹⁴ techniques. Biotechnology has been applied to sewage treatment¹⁵.

The discovery of chlorine¹⁶ and its use as a disinfectant resulted in increased human life expectancy.

Remediation and other waste

CSIRO lists the ways biotechnology is used when dealing with waste¹⁷. The use of enzyme products¹⁸ (special proteins made by living things) removes pesticides from water.

Toxic sites¹⁹ can be reclaimed using microorganisms and some plants.

²⁰

Cleaning up the Exxon Valdez oil spill using traditional methods.
Public domain²⁰

Oil spills²¹ may be cleaned up more effectively and efficiently using microorganisms mixed with straw. Some genetically modified bacteria have been developed to do the job.

Food Preservation

Play a food preservation game²².

Solve a food poisoning mystery–log in to Mystery matters²³ and choose The taste of danger.

Food preservation occurred well before the role of microorganisms in food spoilage was understood. The Australian Academy of Science²⁴ explains the modern expectations for hygiene and the storage of food.

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Public domain²⁵

Food preservation techniques have changed greatly since World War I. The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO⁷) site describes how radiation can be used for food preservation.

Watch the CSIRO video Safer food: from farm to fork²⁶.

Hygiene

Hand washing in hospitals

Hygiene practices developed before scientific understanding of the cause of infectious disease. Read about how Ignaz Semmelweis²⁷ transformed hospital practice and drastically reduced deaths from childbed fever in the 1850’s before germs had been discovered.

Food poisoning

Hygiene is particularly important in the preparation of food (see the Food preservation tab). This Australian Academy of Science²⁸ text explains how to prevent food poisoning.