What About Cloning?

What exactly is cloning? Cloning is making an identical genetic copy of some living matter. In this modern age, scientists have the capability to use reproductive technology to more or less duplicate or "clone" living matter.

There have been two recent break throughs in science, which create both an astonishing opportunity and a possible nightmare. The DNA decoding that was recently completed, mapped out the human genome. This was a genetic map of the entire human body. The second event was the cloning in Great Britain of a sheep named "Dolly".

The dilemma that exists is whether it is ethical and, or even moral to be able to play the "great creator" and birth life. Most scientists agree that the main purpose of this technology is to recreate organs or grow tissue to help repair the human body. To be able to help a burn victim or a person in need of an organ transplant is, to say the least, miraculous. In the U.K. they have enacted laws that now allow human genetic cloning for this purpose. The intention they say is not to reproduce entire human beings, but rather parts of us. This creates the reality of a modern day "Frankenstein" scenario which most of us fear.

In the plant science world the question does not have such serious consequences, but a dilemma still exists. Could we reproduce a species of tree or plant that is almost extinct? What if we could reproduce a species of extremely high yielding fruit that could significantly increase a farmer's yield? The answer is that we can. This technology now exists.

One of the most controversial issues facing the agricultural community is the quietly expanding field of genetic engineering. Whether we know it or not, genetically engineered plant species and seeds has become commonplace. Many of foods and the fruit and vegetables you eat are made from or indeed made using, genetically engineered crops. Large seed companies and chemical companies are spending millions of dollars to produce crops that can fight disease and pests on their own without the use of chemicals, or that are tolerant to a particular herbicide. Bio technical and seed companies have joined together to insert particular genes in specific crops to create a "Superman" species. Whether the goal is an increased yield in the plants' production or an increase in the use of a certain chemical, the result is potentially frightening.

Some scientists have been quoted as saying that many plants would not be regenerated because the larger seed and chemical companies would not find it economically feasible. By creating only one type of crop with very desirable traits, the need to keep older, less favorable varieties is gone. The potential loss or diminishing of the germplasm pool is the real danger. Less companies and less breeders able to compete means a monopoly for the Bio tech and seed giants of the industry.

One recently completed project, which may have hugely positive results, is the completion of the genome for the rice plant. What makes this discovery important is the simple fact that rice is the basic food that feeds one half of our planet. Scientists now have the capability to produce a genetically enhanced plant with all the finest traits. Imagine a super variety of rice plant that is disease and weather tolerant, combined with high yield, for a plant species so critical to the world's food supply. This has both enormous potential and unparalleled risk. Which do we choose?

All of these "potential threats" only strengthen the argument for recreating "all" existing species of plant life whether it is for food, herbal and pharmaceutical use or just aesthetic pleasure.

In the world of horticulture there are several ways of cloning. There are two common techniques. One is by taking cuttings from a chosen plant, or by the use of plant tissue culture. These two cultural choices ensure a species survival. Hybrids have to be re bred over and over, while the tissue culture or cloning technique is perpetual. By keeping one to two plants with desirable traits healthy and vigorous, the species survival and indeed the expansion of that species is possible. It is all too common to see people taking cuttings of their favorite summertime geranium or impatiens and over wintering them inside, only to be "reborn" in the out door garden in spring when it is warm again.

Keeping mother plants for future propagation or planting the seeds saved from a special plant has been practiced since we can remember. It is important to keep these species "alive" either in seed form or cuttings. Modern gardeners are using the tissue culture technique where by a small lab or sterile room can be used as a reproduction chamber. Some labs can produce tens of thousands of tissue cells per week. This translates into potentially huge numbers of plants that will all bear identical traits such as size, color, taste, smell, yield, etc.

Large number of plants especially in areas like the Amazon are being literally annihilated forever. Who knows what species could have been used as a treatment for some serious ailment? Who knows what species could have been used in naturopathic medicine as an alternative to synthetic drugs? We have already seen land stripped for mining, peat bogs emptied, and rivers and lakes that are not home to fish anymore. It is already happening right her in North America.

Our industry has the unique task and possibly an obligation to aid the world by continuing to reproduce every species of plant. What does this mean to each of us? We cannot avoid technology and how it affects the corporate world. What we can do is voice our concern and protect what we already have. It is too late for the dinosaur and many other flora and fauna, but it is not too late to protect heirloom varieties of plants we value.