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AGRICULTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGIST
Agricultural Biotechnology, Also Known As Agritech, Is A Branch Of Agricultural Science That Involves The Use Of Scientific Instruments And Techniques To Modify Living Organisms Such As Animals, Plants, And Microorganisms, Such As Molecular Markers, Genetic Engineering, Molecular Diagnostics, Tissue Culture, And Vaccines. Through The Identification And Modification Of Specific Genes, Biotechnology Improves Breeders' Ability To Improve Crops And Livestock. Biotechnology Allows For Advancements That Would Be Impossible To Achieve Through The Traditional Method Of Crossing Related Species Alone. Biotechnology Is Being Used To Increase Crop Yields And Plant Resistance To Insects, Disease, And Drought; To Increase Milk Production; To Prevent And Treat Animal Disease, And To Develop Better Food Processing Methods.
Description Of The Job
- Design Agricultural And Horticultural Machinery Components And Equipment Using Computer-aided Design (CAD) Technology.
- Construct Food-processing Plants And Oversee Manufacturing Operations.
- To Ensure The Performance Of Agricultural Machinery And Equipment, Test Them.
- Use Statistical Methods And Theories To Solve Practical Agricultural Problems.
- Collaborate And Work With Agricultural And Food Scientists.
- Analyse The Environmental Impact Of Intensive Agricultural Production Techniques.
- Consult On Water Quality And Issues Related To Pollution Management, As Well As The Protection And Use Of Other Water Resources.
- Create And Oversee Environmental And Land Reclamation Projects In Agriculture And Related Fields.
Biotechnology's Application And Importance In Agriculture
Agricultural Biotechnology Can Be Defined As A Set Of Scientific Techniques That Use DNA And Its Concepts To Improve Plants, Microorganisms, And Animals.
Biotechnology May Be More Effective In Agriculture Than Agrochemicals, According To Some. The Latter Is Thought To Be To Blame For Environmental Damage And Is Also Somewhat Unfeasible For Farmers.
The Following Are A Few Examples Of How Biotechnology Has Been Used In Agriculture –
- Genetic Engineering /rDNA Technology
It Is A Technology In Which One Or More Genes Are Deliberately Altered In The Laboratory. This Is Accomplished Through The Use Of Recombinant DNA (rDNA) Technology, Which Alters An Organism's Genetic Makeup.
- Culture Of Tissue
Tissue Culture Is The Process Of Nurturing Fragments Of Plant Or Animal Tissue In A Controlled Environment Where They Can Survive And Grow. This Tissue Must First Be Isolated.
- Embryo Recovery
It Is A Type Of Plant In-vitro Culture Technique. To Ensure The Survival Of An Immature Embryo, It Is Nurtured In A Controlled Environment. This Can Aid In The Preservation Of Seed Species That Are On The Verge Of Extinction. This Can Include Heritage Seeds, Locally Grown Grains With Cultural Significance, And So On.
- Somatic Hybridization
It Is A Method Of Manipulating The Cellular Genome Through The Process Of Protoplast Fusion.
- Markers For Molecular Genes
Molecular-gene Markers Are Specific Segments Of DNA That Are Associated With A Specific Location Within The Genome In Genetic Engineering.
- Molecular Testing
A Set Of Techniques Used To Analyse Biological Markers In The Genome And Proteome Is Known As Molecular Diagnostics. It Aids In Determining How Their Genes Are Expressed As Proteins In Their Cells.
- Vaccine
It Is A Formulation That Is Injected Into A Host Body To Elicit A Desired Immune Response. It Aids In The Prevention Of Diseases Such As Polio. Its Production Is Currently Widespread In Order To Combat Covid.
- Micropropagation
Plants Are Clonally Propagated In A Closed Vessel Under Aseptic And Controlled Conditions.
Biotechnology's Role In Agriculture
Biotechnology's Role In Agriculture Is Multifaceted. Some Of The Most Common Advantages Of Biotechnology In Agriculture Are As Follows:
- Crop Production Increase
Biotechnology Increases Crop Production Significantly By Improving Disease Control And Increasing Tolerance To Drought And Flooding. This Not Only Meets The Ever-increasing Demand For Food But Also Assists Farmers In Reducing Losses.
- Improved Crop Protection
Biotechnology Techniques Provide Cost-effective Solutions To Pest-related Problems. Farmers Have Been Able To Genetically Modify Crops Such As Cotton, Corn, And Potato To Produce A Protein That Effectively Combats Pest Issues.
- Nutritional Value Increase
It Has Also Enabled Farmers To Grow Crops With Higher Nutritional Value, As Well As Improved Flavour And Texture. For Example, Technology Has Enabled The Cultivation Of Soybeans With High Protein Content, Beans With More Amino Acids, And Potatoes With Starch.
- Better Taste And Fresher Produce
It Also Helps To Improve Crop Flavour And Taste By Increasing The Activity Of Enzymes Found In Plants. It Also Aids In Keeping The Yield Fresh For A Longer Period.
- Tolerance To Chemicals
Herbicides Are Commonly Used By Farmers To Control Weed Growth, Which Often Results In Soil Erosion. However, Genetically Engineered Food Is Resistant To A Variety Of Chemicals, Including Herbicides; As A Result, Soil Erosion Is On A Much Smaller Scale.
- Disease Resistance
Insect-borne Viral Infections Are Frequently Difficult To Control, And The Use Of Insecticides Can Be Harmful To Both Soil And Produce Quality. Nonetheless, Genetically Modified Plants Are Less Susceptible To Viral Infection, Making It Easier For Farmers To Control Crop Damage. Although There Are Numerous Advantages To Using Biotechnology In Agriculture, It Is Not Without Flaws. To Elaborate, There Are Some Concerns About Health, Societal, And Environmental Issues. Antibiotic Resistance, Insecticide Resistance, Superweed Growth, And Biodiversity Loss Are Just A Few Of The Concerns About The Use Of Biotechnology In Agriculture. However, One Can Hope That As Technology Advances, Scientists Will Find Practical Solutions.
A Career In Agricultural Biotechnology
Agricultural Advisor
Agricultural Consultants Or Advisers Provide Their Clients With Assistance, Solutions, And Advice To Ensure That Their Enterprise Or Business Runs As Effectively And Efficiently As Possible.
Agriculture Administration
Agriculture Managers Typically Work In Dairy, Crop, Or Animal Production. Their Responsibilities Include Planning Tactics/strategies For Maximum Yield, Farm Administration Organisation, Working Machinery Organisation, Organisation Of Associated Businesses, And Staff Management.
Self-Employment
Freelancers Can Find Work In Agricultural Firms, Agricultural Product Stores, And The Agro-based Industry.
Scientist In Process Development
Their Goal Is To Improve The Efficiency Of Manufacturing Systems. They Are In Charge Of Identifying And Developing New Product Manufacturing Processes, As Well As Implementing Process Controls To Ensure That The Products Are Of High Quality And Manufactured Safely.
Development And Research
The Process Of Discovering New Products And Developing Them To Market Is Known As Research And Development. By Creating New Products To Sell, These Two Processes Keep The Agricultural Biotechnology Industry Running.
Paths To A Career In Agricultural Biotechnology
Path 1
Stream- Science In Class XII With PCM/PCB (Mathematics Is Preferred)
Graduate- B.Sc. In Agricultural Biotechnology (3-year Course)
After Graduation- M.Sc. In Agricultural Biotechnology (2 Years)
After Post Graduation- At This Point, There Are Two Options. You Could Either Go For A Job Or Higher Studies. PhD In Agricultural Biotechnology (2-3 Years)
Path 2
Stream- Science In Class XII With PCM/PCB (Mathematics Is Preferred)
Graduate- B.Tech. Biotechnology In Agriculture (4-year Course)
After Graduation- M.Tech. (2 Years)
After Post Graduation- At This Point, There Are Two Options. You Could Either Go For A Job Or Higher Studies. PhD In Agricultural Biotechnology (2-3 Years)
Eligibility
- Maths And English Are Required Subjects In Some Colleges In Class XII.
- Must Have Completed Class 12th Or Senior Secondary School With At Least 50 Per Cent Marks, Including English
- For The B. Tech Course, The Minimum Age Is 17 Years.
Entrance Exams
- (Undergraduate)
- ICAR-AIEEA- Physics, Chemistry, Maths
- JNU CEEB- Physics, Chemistry, Maths, Biology
Colleges
- National Institute Of Technology, Calicut
- Christian Medical College, Vellore
- Loyola College, Chennai
- National Institute Of Technology Rourkela
- Banasthali Vidyapith, Banasthali
- Thapar Institute Of Engineering And Technology, Patiala
- Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University
- Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak
- Shanmugha Arts Science Technology And Research Academy, Thanjavur
- PSG College Of Technology, Coimbatore
Salary
Biotechnologist Salaries In India Range From 0.2 Lakhs To 9.6 Lakhs Per Year, With An Average Annual Salary Of 3.0 Lakhs. Salary Estimates Are Based On 68 Biotechnologists' Salaries.
