Plant Synthetic Biology: A Paradigm Shift
Targeting Stress Mitigation, Reduction
of Ecological Footprints and Sustainable
Transformation in Agriculture
15
Priyanka Singla
Abstract
At the existing growth rate of population, the necessity of agriculture-based
commodities is far outstripping the yields owing to approaches employed in the
Green Revolution. Moreover, current agricultural practices are excessively
exploiting non-renewable energy inputs leading to global climate change and
degradation of natural resources. Exploitation of modern biotechnology
techniques for the developing crops that are better acclimatized to the adverse
environment is significant for sustainable cultivation and harvesting a sufficient
amount of food. The disparity between the use of inputs and proficient production
drives the emerging influx of innovation in the field of plant biology to integrate
knowledge from diverse fields spanning from molecular to ecological scales. To
address these global challenges, Synthetic Biology (SynBio) has come into the
forefront as an engineering discipline for the next generation of crops. SynBio
potency to converge with bio- and nanotechnology, plant genetics, biochemistry,
microbiology and systems biology upsurges its transformative ascendancy on the
agriculture and food industry. The implementation of SynBio within agriculture
promises to deliver benefits that judiciously utilize the inputs for growth thus
limiting negative impacts on the environment. In this chapter, we present recent
applications of SynBio in enhancing carbon fixation competence of crops, plant–
microbiome interactions for efficient nutrient uptake, sustainable fertilization,
bioremediation and stress mitigation, the nutritional value of crops, integrated
pest management, food safety, developing green sensors, bio-manufacturing of
commercially important products, and production of valuable plant metabolites in
microbes. Progress and innovation of SynBio approaches in these areas promise
P. Singla (*)
Department of Botany, Mount Carmel College (Autonomous), Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
# The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte
Ltd. 2020
B. Giri, M. P. Sharma (eds.), Plant Stress Biology,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-9380-2_15
435
Targeting Stress Mitigation, Reduction
of Ecological Footprints and Sustainable
Transformation in Agriculture
15
Priyanka Singla
Abstract
At the existing growth rate of population, the necessity of agriculture-based
commodities is far outstripping the yields owing to approaches employed in the
Green Revolution. Moreover, current agricultural practices are excessively
exploiting non-renewable energy inputs leading to global climate change and
degradation of natural resources. Exploitation of modern biotechnology
techniques for the developing crops that are better acclimatized to the adverse
environment is significant for sustainable cultivation and harvesting a sufficient
amount of food. The disparity between the use of inputs and proficient production
drives the emerging influx of innovation in the field of plant biology to integrate
knowledge from diverse fields spanning from molecular to ecological scales. To
address these global challenges, Synthetic Biology (SynBio) has come into the
forefront as an engineering discipline for the next generation of crops. SynBio
potency to converge with bio- and nanotechnology, plant genetics, biochemistry,
microbiology and systems biology upsurges its transformative ascendancy on the
agriculture and food industry. The implementation of SynBio within agriculture
promises to deliver benefits that judiciously utilize the inputs for growth thus
limiting negative impacts on the environment. In this chapter, we present recent
applications of SynBio in enhancing carbon fixation competence of crops, plant–
microbiome interactions for efficient nutrient uptake, sustainable fertilization,
bioremediation and stress mitigation, the nutritional value of crops, integrated
pest management, food safety, developing green sensors, bio-manufacturing of
commercially important products, and production of valuable plant metabolites in
microbes. Progress and innovation of SynBio approaches in these areas promise
P. Singla (*)
Department of Botany, Mount Carmel College (Autonomous), Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
# The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte
Ltd. 2020
B. Giri, M. P. Sharma (eds.), Plant Stress Biology,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-9380-2_15
435