Question

Write a comparative note on usefulness and harmfulness of biotechnology.

Answer 1

 Biotechnology has revolutionised the field of science and technology. It has provided us with solutions to our problems which would not have been possible otherwise. It has found widespread applications in various fields and its many potentials are still being exploited. However, despite the various merits of biotechnology, there are certain demerits also associated with it.

Merits of biotechnology:

• it has helped in the field of agriculture for the development of stress resistant varieties for example drought resistant, temperature resistant plants etc.
• it has been useful in the medical field in the diagnosis and treatment of various kind of diseases.
• it is being widely applied in the food industry for producing different kinds of food products on a larger scale.
• it's potential for solving environmental problems is also being exploited. For examples, microorganisms are being used to solve the menace of plastics.

Demerits of biotechnology
Although biotechnology has found a widespread applications in various field, it has its own potential risks. Some of its demerits are:

• some of the biotechnological procedures are against nature and natural laws as they involve other living organisms and disturbing their genetic makeup.
• new and advanced varieties of crops produced by biotechnology, which are considered to be healthier and better, also have some disadvantages like seed sterility.
• it may also lead to the development of antibiotic resistant bacteria
• there are various ethical issues associated with products produced by biotechnological processes.