Biotechnology is future path for crop protection

The end of the 20th century is witnessing an evolution in the pesticide industry. Traditional insect and weed control by chemicals will not totally disappear, but an inexorable shift is being made to biological controls and genetic engineering. The future of pesticides was the main topic at the spring conference of the American Crop Protection Association (ACPA) held recently in Washington, D.C. But speakers there offered no tales of new toxic chemicals or greater productivity. Their stories instead were of increased research on enzyme controls for insects and improved herbicideresistant crops. Biotechnology and new pest management strategies are where the industry is headed. At agricultural chemical companies, "the convergence of genetics, molecular modeling, biology, and biochemistry is creating opportunities," said Mark Atwood, president of the agricultural products research division of American Cyanamid, Wayne, N.J. "The differences between synthetic and natural products are becoming blurred." A major...