162 • Impacts of Applied Genetics— Micro-Organisms, Plants, and Animals 
Although genetic information has been trans- 
ferred by vectors and protoplast fusion, DNA 
transformations of commercial value have not 
yet been performed. Molecular engineering has 
been impeded by the lack of vectors that can 
transfer novel genetic material into plants, by 
insufficient knowledge about which genes 
would be useful for breeding purposes, and by 
a lack of understanding of the incompatibility of 
chromosomes from diverse sources. Another 
impediment has been the lack of researchers 
from a variety of disciplines. 
OPTIONS: 
A. Increase the level of funding for plant molec- 
ular genetics through: 
1. the National Science Foundation (NSF),and 
2. the Competitive Grants Program of the U.S. 
Department of Agriculture (USDA). 
B. Establish research units devoted to plant mo- 
lecular genetics under the auspices of the Na- 
tional Institutes of Health (NIH), with empha- 
Technical notes 
1. A recent example of such a mutation was the opaque-2 
gene in corn, which was responsible for increasing the 
corn's content of the amino acid lysine. 
2. There is disagreement about what is meant by produc- 
tivity and how it is measured. Statistical field data can 
be expressed in various ways— e.g., output per man- 
hour, crop yield per unit area, or output per unit of 
total inputs used in production. A productivity meas- 
urement is a relationship among physical units of pro- 
duction. It differs from measurements of efficiency, 
which relate to economic and social values. 
3. Nevertheless, some parts of the world continue to lack 
adequate supplied of food. A recent study by the Pres- 
idential Commission on World Hunger” estimates that 
"at least one out of every eight men, women, and chil- 
dren on earth suffers malnutrition severe enough to 
shorten life, stunt physical growth, and dull mental 
ability.” 
4. In theory, pure lines produce only identical gametes, 
which makes them true breeders. Successive cross- 
breeding will result in a mixture of gametes with vary- 
ing combinations of genes at a given locus on homolog- 
ous chromosomes. 
^'Report of the Presidential Commission on World Hunger. Over- 
coming World Hanger: The Challenge Ahead, Washington, H.C.. 
March 1980. 
sis on potential pharmaceuticals derived from 
plants. I 
C. Establish an institute for plant molet alar ge- ! 
netics under the Science and Education Ad- 
ministration at USDA that would include mul- 
tidisciplinary teams to consider both basic re- 
search questions and direct applications of the 
technology to commercial needs and practices. 
The discoveries of molecular jilant genetics 
will be used in conjunction with traditional 
breeding programs. Therefore, each of the 
three options would recjuire additional ttppro- 
priations for agricultural research. K.xisting 
funding structures could he used for all three, 
but institutional reorganization would he ic- 
quired for options B and C. The main argument i 
for increasing fiSDA funding is thtit it is the letul 
agency for agricultural research, Idi- incretising 
NSF and NIH funding, that they currently lunc 
the greatest expei tise in molecular techni(|ues. 
Option C emphasizes the impoi tanci' of the in- 
terdisciplinary needs of this I’l’seai eh. 
5. Normally, chromosomes ai'c inheriled m sets I hr 
more tnujiu'iil diploid stale consists ol two sets m eai h 
plant. Recuiuse chi-omosome pairs .ite homologous 
(ha\ e the same litiear getie se(|ui“n( r-l cells must m.im 
tain a degree of gi'uelic integrity hclu een chromosome 
pairs during cell di\ ision I hereloi e. iiu re.ises m 
ploidv iinoh’e entire sets of chi'omosomes diploul (j 
sell is manipulated to Iriploid l.'I seil or e\ en to 
tetra|)loid (f-si'l). 
a. The esiimaltui theoretical limit to elliciem v ol phoiu 
synthesis during the grow Ih cycle is ,s 7 percent Ilou 
ever, th(‘ I'ecord I '.S Stale a\eiage (llii hu .u i e II 
linois, 197.')) for coi'o, ha\ ing a high pholos\ nlhi-lii i ,iie 
iti comparison to other majoi' crops ,ip|>i o.u lies i nd\ I 
percent efficic'ncy.^' Since ,i majoi' limilmg siej) m jil.mi 
productivity lies in this elliciencs loi the |)holos\o 
thetic pi'oeess, there is potential lot |il,inl hl■l•l■l|ln^; 
strategies to improve the elliciencv ol pholos\ uiliesis 
of many other important cro|)s I his w ould hav c ,i tie 
mendous impact on agricultural produciiv ilv 
7. It is difficult to separate social values Imm the ei imiuih 
ic strucluri’s affecting the produciiv ilv ol \iiiei n .m 
agriculture. Social pressures and decisions .uc i umpli \ 
‘^Ollice of leclmnlog) VssessmenI I s (.ii,, , . I , 
liiological Prnrr.'i.sr.s, \nliinir II lrihnit.il tei ,'.' VV , i.. 
I ) ( : I I.S (,ov emmenl I’niitmg ( IMm e liiK I'lHo 
