Green revolution

Image

Worldwide agricultural productivity has benefited from two green revolutions that have brought crop varieties, allowing higher yields and able to tolerate stress and resist pests and diseases.

The first green revolution


The first green revolution from the early 1960s to 1975 introduced new varieties ofwheat, rice, and maize that doubled or tripled yields. The new varieties were highly susceptible to pest infestation and thus required extensive chemical spraying. But they were also responsive to high rates of fertilizer application under irrigation. But they were also responsive to high rates of fertilizer application under irrigation. So, large- and medium-scale farmers in regions with adequate irrigation facilities, easy access to credit, sufficient ability to undertake risks, and good market integration adopted the new varieties[5]But these requirements meant that theew technology bypassed most poor African farmers[6] [7]
 

The second green revolution


The second green revolution from 1975 to the 1990s sought to consolidate lessons from the first by developing crops with a wider range of traits desirable for less well endowed areas and smallholder farmers. These traits included tolerance to stress and resistance to pests and diseases.
 

The third green revolution


The third green revolution is the biotechnology or gene revolution. Biotechnology offers possibilities for further amplifying the achievements of the first and second green revolutions. 

 Four areas in which biotechnology is likely to have significant impact.
 

  • Improving genome management (through use of molecular markers for quantitative trait improvement, introgression of new germ plasm into breeding lines, genetic diversity analysis, and parental selection).
  •  Enhancing genetic analysis (through introduction of new genes, directed mutagenesis, optimization of gene expression, and gene discovery).
  • Quickening the pace of conventional plant research (through new biotechnological Techniques —conventional breeders must rely on phenotypic evaluation, which does not always accurately indicate the information present in a plant’s genome
  •  Improving agricultural yields.

 

Best Regards
Rebecca Pearson
Editorial Manager