C2
Paper 6138
Disclaimer — This paper partially fulfills a writing requirement for first year (freshman) engineering students at the
University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering. This paper is a student, not a professional, paper. This paper is
based on publicly available information and may not be provide complete analyses of all relevant data. If this paper is used
for any purpose other than these authors’ partial fulfillment of a writing requirement for first year (freshman) engineering
students at the University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering, the user does so at his or her own risk.
GENETICALLY MODIFIED COTTON
Xinyu Li, xil155@pitt.edu, Mahboobin, 10:00, Yihan Chen, yih89@pitt.edu, Mena, 6:00
Revised Proposal — Genetically modified (GM) technology
is a tremendously developing field. Genetic modification is
when the genetic makeup of an organism is altered by
inserting, deleting or changing specific pieces of DNA [1].
Plants, animals or microorganisms that have changed
through genetic engineering are termed genetically modified
organisms. Genetically modified cotton is a genetic modified
plant. For example, genetically modified cotton, combining
two Bt cotton (bt toxin) genes, has an insect-resistant
characteristic without using pesticides. By combining the
genetic makeup of G. hirsutum (a well-growing hybrid) and
G.arboreum (an insect resistant hybrid), the GM cotton could
have both characteristics [2]. As a result, the GM cotton will
corrode insects through chemical reactions and yield more
cotton than regular cotton [3].
In General, 23% of the earth’s land area has been converted
to agricultural use and there will be 18% more agricultural
land in 2050[4]. 11 million acres of fields are growing cotton
in the U.S., which can harm the environment [5]. According
to Scherr and his team, 32% of the agricultural land has
become degraded land [6]. Using Bt cotton can protect the
environment since less land is needed. Research has
indicated that the characteristics of genetically modified
cotton is more effective than the characteristics found in nonBt cottons. According to R. Bennett and his group, non-Bt
cotton yields 6.09 quintals per acre while Bt cotton yields
8.83 quintals per acre [7]. The amount of land use is reduced
because Bt cotton yields more. Furthermore, GM cotton is
environmentally friendly. Less land is farmed so more of the
environment, such as forest and soil quality, is protected.
More land could be used to grow food. Pesticides in bugs
may damage the birds who consume the bugs; rabbits could
mistakenly eat the crops thus damaging the predator of
rabbits. Due to the insect-resistance of Bt cotton, pesticides
are barely used. As a result, food chains are protected.
Researchers are performing different kinds of tests on
animals to observe the effects of Bt cotton after consumption,
since animals may mistakenly eat Bt cotton. However, ethical
issues might occur if we use animals which are prohibited by
the law. Moreover, if the government fails to control the
growth of Bt cotton, the environment might deteriorate
permanently. Is it ethical to damage the fields of farmers who
depend on the land [8]?
University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering 1
2016/01/29
Our organizing plan for this paper on GM cotton is to
describe the mechanism of GM cotton by researching
scientific studies and peer review journals. Moreover, we are
going to discuss the advantage of Bt cotton by using previous
research data and field performances from different countries
who use Bt cotton. Today, 86% of all United States cotton,
68% of all Chinese cotton, and 76% of all Indian cotton
(three of the major cotton-growing counties) is GM cotton
[9]. Large databases will be used to advantages of Bt cotton.
Moreover, we will refer to the bioengineering code of ethics
to discuss potential ethical issues relative to GM cotton. For
example, animal testing.
REFERENCES
[1] L. Hinson (2002), “Bioengineering Plants and Genetically
Modified Foods”, Bioengineering society. (Online Article)
http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/course/gn301/Supplements/GM_Pl
ants.html/
[2] S.S. Narayanan, Parchuri Vidyasagar and K. Srinivasu
Babu (2014), “Cotton Germplasm in India-New Trends”
Intech.com,
(published
article).
http://cdn.intechopen.com/pdfs-wm/47100.pdf
[3] P. Ronald (2015) “The case of engineering our food.”
TED
talk
(video)
https://www.ted.com/talks/pamela_ronald_the_case_for_engi
neering_our_food#t-607014/
[4] “The scope of agricultural expansion” (2016). Rainforest
Conservation Fund. (Online Article).
http://www.rainforestconservation.org/rainforest-primer/7special-topics/b-agriculture/1-the-scope-of-agriculturalexpansion/
[5] "United States Cotton Production"(2014). National
Cotton
Council
of
America.
(Online
Article)
http://www.cotton.org/econ/world/detail.cfm
[6] S. Scherr and S. Yadav (1996). “Land Degradation in the
Developing World: Implications for Food, Agriculture, and
the Environment in 2020” International Food Policy
Research
Institute.
(Research
paper)
http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/pnaby622.pdf
[7] R. Bennett, U. Kambhampati, S. Morse, Y. Ismael. (2003)
“Farm-level Economic performance of genetically modified
cotton in Maharashtra, India” Review of Agricultural
Xinyu Li
Yihan Chen
Economics-Volume 28, (published article) Number 1-pages:
59-71 DOI:10.111/j.1467-9353.2006.00273.x
[8] L. Glenn (2013), “ethical issues in genetic engineering
and
transgenic”
actionbioscience
(website)
http://www.actionbioscience.org/biotechnology/glenn.html
[9] “Genetically modified plants: Global Cultivation AreaCotton” (2014), GMO Compass (website) http://www.gmocompass.org/eng/agri_biotechnology/gmo_planting/343.genet
ically_modified_cotton_global_area_under_cultivation.html
This article, written by a professor of agriculture at North
Carolina State University, is a scientific article that
specifically introduces the process of the technology of
genetic modification. This article provides the definition and
basic technology for genetic modification. It also discusses
public opinion about this technology. Information in this
article can help us understand the technology and explain our
ideas about genetic modification of cotton.
S.S. Narayanan, Parchuri Vidyasagar and K. Srinivasu Babu
(2014), “Cotton Germplasm in India-New Trends”
Intech.com, (published article).
http://cdn.intechopen.com/pdfs-wm/47100.pdf
This scholarly article is published on an online scholarly
journal of science, medicine and technology. The article
explains the fundamental principle of genetically modified
cotton. This article explains how G. hirsutum cotton (a wellgrowing hybrid) and G.arboreum (an insect resistant hybrid)
cotton are combined to produce a cotton with both
characteristics. This article will help us explain the genetic
makeup of Bt cotton.
ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY
R. Bennett, U. Kambhampati, S. Morse, Y. Ismael. (2003)
“Farm-level Economic performance of genetically modified
cotton in Maharashtra, India” Review of Agricultural
Economics-Volume 28, (published article) Number 1-pages:
59-71 DOI:10.111/j.1467-9353.2006.00273.x
This article is from a social science journal published by
Oxford University Press. This article basically explains how
Genetically Modified Cotton could benefit our ecosystem.
Genetically Modified cotton could yield more than regular
cotton. As the production increased, we could reduce the
amount of agricultural land and protect forests from
becoming farmland. This source will help us clarify positive
effects of Genetic Modified Cotton in the foreseeable future.
P. Ronald (2015) “The case of engineering our food.” TED
talk
(video)
https://www.ted.com/talks/pamela_ronald_the_case_for_engi
neering_our_food#t-607014/
Pamela Ronald, a plant geneticist, studies the genes that
make plants more resistant to disease and stress. She
demonstrates the success of GM crops at Hawaii. Her TED
talk persuade that modern genetic modification is the most
effective method to advance sustainable agriculture and
enhance food security for our planet’s growing population.
The information in her presentation will help us demonstrate
the mechanism and the positive effects of genetic
modification.
“Genetically modified plants: Global Cultivation AreaCotton” (2014), GMO Compass (website) http://www.gmocompass.org/eng/agri_biotechnology/gmo_planting/343.genet
ically_modified_cotton_global_area_under_cultivation.html
This article, published on a consumer-webpage which
collects objective, science based information, details the total
acres of GM cotton grown in different counties. This article
presents the trend of GM cotton demand and production all
over the world especially in agricultural countries such as
India, China and the U.S. Information from this article will
help us emphasize the demand of GM cotton worldwide.
S. Scherr and S. Yadav (1996). “Land Degradation in the
Developing World: Implications for Food, Agriculture, and
the Environment in 2020” International Food Policy
Research
Institute.
(Research
paper)
http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/pnaby622.pdf
This research paper, provided by an international
agricultural institution, details the global trends and effects of
land degradation and land improvement, using solid research
data and logical reasoning. This paper argues that agricultural
land use causes land degradation which is a potential threat to
the environment. Information from this paper will help us
clarify the current problems of agricultural land use.
L. Glenn (2013), “ethical issues in genetic engineering and
transgenic”
actionbioscience
(website)
http://www.actionbioscience.org/biotechnology/glenn.html
Actionbioscience, a non-commercial, educational
website, devoted to promote bioscience literacy by examining
ethical issues. This article basically states potential ethical
issues of Genetic Modification. Genetically modified animals
or plants might be abnormal because Genetic Modification
technology hasn’t been fully developed. The possibility of
scientists to lose control of Genetic Modification is high. This
article will give us more details of the technology, and will
help us explain potential ethical issues.
“The scope of agricultural expansion” (2016). Rainforest
Conservation Fund. (Online Article).
http://www.rainforestconservation.org/rainforest-primer/7special-topics/b-agriculture/1-the-scope-of-agriculturalexpansion/
This article published in a fund-raising website, by a
professor of the school of medicine from the University of
L. Hinson (2002), “Bioengineering Plants and Genetically
Modified Foods”, Bioengineering society. (Online Article)
http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/course/gn301/Supplements/GM_Pl
ants.html/
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Xinyu Li
Yihan Chen
Pennsylvania, presents data on land transformation. The main
idea of this article is that increasing land-use for agriculture
will cause the loss of billions of hectares of our natural
ecosystems. The information gives us a better understanding
and helps us better explain how agricultural land-use may
damage our environment.
"United States Cotton Production"(2014). National Cotton
Council
of
America.
(Online
Article)
http://www.cotton.org/econ/world/detail.cfm
This table is created by the National Cotton Council of
America, an agricultural trade organization that serves as the
central forum for consensus building among producers and
dealers. The chief aim of this table is to provide data from the
2014 U.S. cotton production and the information about the
amount of land used. The data table will provide us with the
amount of farmland that faces potential danger of
degradation.
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