HORTICULTURE

Detailed explanation-1: -Agricultural biotechnology has been used to protect crops from devastating diseases. The papaya ringspot virus threatened to derail the Hawaiian papaya industry until papayas resistant to the disease were developed through genetic engineering. This saved the U.S. papaya industry.

Detailed explanation-2: -Biotechnology has helped to increase crop productivity by introducing such qualities as disease resistance and increased drought tolerance to the crops. Now, research ers can select genes for disease resistance from other species and transfer them to important crops.

Detailed explanation-3: -Biotechnology helps to identify the strains of bacteria most suitable for specific crops and soils and to multiply them for large-scale use. Much time will be required before genetic engineering is able to make available pest-resistant varieties of the most important crops.