Contents
1.1 Introduction.....................................................................................................................
2
1.2 Different Agricultural Visions: Conventional Versus Organic.....................................
3
1.3 Conventional ...................................................................................................................
4
1.3.1
Green Revolution .............................................................................................
4
1.3.2
Biotechnology...................................................................................................
7
1.4 Organic............................................................................................................................ 10
1.4.1
Food Quality..................................................................................................... 11
1.4.2
Ecological Benefits .......................................................................................... 11
1.5 What Is the Necessity of Current and Future Agriculture ........................................... 12
1.6 Maximize Yield .............................................................................................................. 13
1.7 Production Protecting the Environment......................................................................... 14
1.8 Functional Foods ............................................................................................................ 16
1.9 Cheap Foods ................................................................................................................... 18
1.10 Challenges to Reach the Proposed Vision for Food Production .................................. 19
1.10.1 Climate Change ................................................................................................ 19
1.10.2 Diminish in Water Availability ....................................................................... 22
1.10.3 Few Fields for Agriculture............................................................................... 24
1.10.4 Necessary Increasing in Food Production ....................................................... 25
1.11 Current Options to Overcome the Challenges .............................................................. 27
1.11.1 Genetic Potential in Plants............................................................................... 27
1.11.2 Trying to Control Climate in Plant Production .............................................. 29
1.11.3 Strategies for Increasing Yield in Fresh Weight and Phytochemicals........... 30
1.12 Perspectives .................................................................................................................... 37
1.12.1 Metabolites-Inducer Factors............................................................................. 37
1.12.2 Use of Genotypes ............................................................................................. 38
1.12.3 Tools for Plant Study ....................................................................................... 39
1.12.4 Plant Nutrition for Increasing Phytochemicals ............................................... 40
References.................................................................................................................................. 41
1.1 Introduction
In recent times, concerns about the impact of the food that people consume on their
own health, as well as the social and environmental consequences that it entails, have
led to major changes in all steps of the food chain including all the agents from the
producer to the retailer. These phenomena comprise complex technologic, social,
economic, and environmental linkages that require integrated research approaches,
i.e., the changes in consumer’s demand and their consequences need to be considered
from all these different points of view. While food is a basic requirement for human
survival and well-being, the ability to ensure food security, that is, access to sufficient
nutritious food is determined by multiple social and political factors. At the same
time, food production as the foundation of food security also provides the potential
for building a new politics to work toward sustainability.
2
L. Garcia-Mier et al.
1.1 Introduction.....................................................................................................................
2
1.2 Different Agricultural Visions: Conventional Versus Organic.....................................
3
1.3 Conventional ...................................................................................................................
4
1.3.1
Green Revolution .............................................................................................
4
1.3.2
Biotechnology...................................................................................................
7
1.4 Organic............................................................................................................................ 10
1.4.1
Food Quality..................................................................................................... 11
1.4.2
Ecological Benefits .......................................................................................... 11
1.5 What Is the Necessity of Current and Future Agriculture ........................................... 12
1.6 Maximize Yield .............................................................................................................. 13
1.7 Production Protecting the Environment......................................................................... 14
1.8 Functional Foods ............................................................................................................ 16
1.9 Cheap Foods ................................................................................................................... 18
1.10 Challenges to Reach the Proposed Vision for Food Production .................................. 19
1.10.1 Climate Change ................................................................................................ 19
1.10.2 Diminish in Water Availability ....................................................................... 22
1.10.3 Few Fields for Agriculture............................................................................... 24
1.10.4 Necessary Increasing in Food Production ....................................................... 25
1.11 Current Options to Overcome the Challenges .............................................................. 27
1.11.1 Genetic Potential in Plants............................................................................... 27
1.11.2 Trying to Control Climate in Plant Production .............................................. 29
1.11.3 Strategies for Increasing Yield in Fresh Weight and Phytochemicals........... 30
1.12 Perspectives .................................................................................................................... 37
1.12.1 Metabolites-Inducer Factors............................................................................. 37
1.12.2 Use of Genotypes ............................................................................................. 38
1.12.3 Tools for Plant Study ....................................................................................... 39
1.12.4 Plant Nutrition for Increasing Phytochemicals ............................................... 40
References.................................................................................................................................. 41
1.1 Introduction
In recent times, concerns about the impact of the food that people consume on their
own health, as well as the social and environmental consequences that it entails, have
led to major changes in all steps of the food chain including all the agents from the
producer to the retailer. These phenomena comprise complex technologic, social,
economic, and environmental linkages that require integrated research approaches,
i.e., the changes in consumer’s demand and their consequences need to be considered
from all these different points of view. While food is a basic requirement for human
survival and well-being, the ability to ensure food security, that is, access to sufficient
nutritious food is determined by multiple social and political factors. At the same
time, food production as the foundation of food security also provides the potential
for building a new politics to work toward sustainability.
2
L. Garcia-Mier et al.