The Use of GM Crops in Developing Countries
Glossary A-F
Abiotic stress:
Environmental stresses which can reduce the productivity of a crop. These include weather conditions such as excessive or untimely frosts, and extended droughts and adverse soil conditions such as high levels of salt or aluminium.
Agrochemical:
A chemical, such as a fertiliser, a herbicide or an insecticide, that improves the productivity of crops.
Amino acids:
Molecules which, when linked together, form proteins.
Biodiversity:
The number and variety of plants, animals and other organisms that exist in nature.
Biopharmaceuticals:
Compounds which are used for the development of medicines, that are produced by living organisms rather than by chemical synthesis.
Biotic stress:
Stress resulting from attack by organisms capable of causing disease.
Bt:
The bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis which produces proteins that are toxic to some insects.
Carrier:
DNA of undefined sequence which is used to ‘carry’ genes which are inserted into cells. A plasmid is a type of carrier.
Cell:
The smallest component of a living organism that is able to grow and reproduce independently.
Centre of diversity:
A centre of diversity would often contain a variety of cultivars and their wild relatives. Such areas often harbour a wide range of natural genetic variation for a particular crop.
Chromosomes:
The thread-like structures in cells that carry DNA, on which genetic information is arranged.
Crossing:
Cross breeding different varieties of a crop species or, occasionally, varieties of closely related species.
Cultivar:
A genetically defined plant variety which has been selected to be adapted for agricultural use.
Developed countries:
Those countries with an average per capita gross national income in 2001 of more than US$9,205 at official exchange rates (see Box 1.1).
Developing countries:
Those countries with an average per capita gross national income in 2001 of less than US$9,205 at official exchange rates (see Box 1.1).
Disease resistance:
The capacity of a plant, usually determined by one or a few genes, to suppress or retard the activities of a disease-causing organism.
DNA:
The biochemical substance from which the genetic material of cells is made. DNA has a thread-like structure. The DNA in a plant or animal cell is in several long lengths called chromosomes, each of which contains many genes.
Double haploid:
A crop variety in which each member of a pair of chromosomes is identical. This can also be achieved by several generations of inbreeding although the resultant line never has identical copies of every gene. With double haploid techniques, a pure line is achieved in one generation.
Dwarfed crops:
Crop varieties that are bred to be relatively short. Dwarfed cereals are higher yielding and will accept more fertiliser before they collapse in the field.
F1 hybrid crop:
The initial hybrid generation resulting from a cross between two parents. F1 hybrids are favoured by farmers because they display hybrid vigour. They are favoured by industry because hybrid vigour is suppressed in subsequent generations. This means that farmers need to purchase new seed every year, rather than use saved seed.
Farming footprint:
The impact that agricultural practice leaves behind on the natural ecology of an environment.
Food security:
According to the FAO, a state in which all people at all times have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for a healthy life.