Table of Contents
Editor's Preface xiii
Author's Preface xxv
Introduction 1
1 Human Population and Ecological Consequences 5
Early Phase and the Neolithic Revolution 5
The Scientific/Technological Revolution 8
Reduced Biodiversity 10
Ambivalence of Progress 12
Priority of Existential basic Needs 15
Practical Consequences 16
The Challenge 18
Summary 21
2 Historical Development of Agriculture, Urban Lifestyles and Man's Perception of Nature 22
Early Stages of Cultural Evolution 23
The Fertile Crescent 26
Advanced Civilization of the Bronze Age 31
European Antiquity in Greece and Rome 36
From the Middle Ages to the Modern Era 41
The Present 48
Summary 54
3 Man and His Environment 55
The First Two Phases: Founding and Securing Human Existence 55
The Goal in Retrospect 58
Resolved and Unresolved Dangers 60
The Spread of Pathogens 61
Turning Point: From Being Threatened by Nature to Threatening Nature Itself 63
The Third Phase: Protection of the Biosphere 66
Conflicting Aspects of Agriculture 69
Fertilization Against Soil Depletion 73
Fighting Weeds 77
Fighting Pathogens and Animal Pests 80
Fertilization and Protection of Plants: Intensive - Alternative - Integrated 84
Summary 88
4 Crop Plant Breeding 89
Requirements of Our Diet 90
Genetic Variability 93
The Origins of Our Most Important Crops 96
Breeding by Selection: An Ancient Method 99
Cross-breeding: Applied Genetics 101
Possibilities and Limits of Cross-breeding 104
Cereals as an Example 108
Wheat: A Natural Hybrid 110
Triticale: An Extreme Case of Hybridization 113
Weeds Become Crops: Oats and Rye 114
Special Features of Corn,Rapeseed and Sugar Beet 115
The Potato as an Example 117
Tissue and Cell Culture 120
Summary 123
5 Genetic Engineering in Research and Application 124
Genetic Engineering: A New Branch of Biotechnology 124
Inheritance from a Bio-molecular Perspective 125
The Technology of Gene Transfer 128
Genetic Engineering with Bacteria 130
Medical Research 133
Genetic Engineering in Plant Breeding 134
Insect Resistance 135
Herbicide Tolerance 137
Diagnostics 140
Summary 141
6 Old and New Breeding Goals 143
The Need for Research 144
Generic Engineering: Not a Substitute, Rather an Aid to Conventional Plant Breeding 145
Maintenance Breeding 146
Food Quality 147
Golden Rice 149
Yield Potential 155
Vitality and Yield Reliability 157
Vaccines in Foodstuffs 164
Developing Countries as the Main Target Group 165
Summary 166
7 Ethical Evaluation of Genetic Engineering 167
Science and Responsibility 169
Technology, Economics, the State, and Politics 172
Risks and Opportunities of Genetic Engineering 173
Fear and Ignorance 175
The European Perspective 176
Feared Consequences 179
Self-imposed Rules and Subsequent Laws 190
Science and the General Public 191
Relative Criteria 193
Summary 197
8 Basic Prerequisites for Securing Human Nourishment 198
The Global Perspective 199
Population Growth 200
Poverty and Wealth 202
The Green Revolution 206
Vision of a Doubly Green Revolution 209
The Biological Limits of Agricultural Productivity 211
Weather, Climate, and Environment 215
Species Diversity - Biodiversity - Cultivar Diversity 219
Water as a Resource 222
Energy as a Resource 225
Centers of Production and Centers of Demand 226
Dietary Habits 229
Consumption of Meat and Fish 230
Political Decisions 236
Helping People to Help Themselves 238
Progress through Solidarity 240
Summary 241
9 Conclusions for Practical Realization 243
Orienration on Primary Goals 243
Extended Protection of Species 245
Plant Genetic Engineering 247
Guidelines and Laws 249
Measures in Other Areas 252
Bread and Circuses 254
Summary 257
Afterword 258
Glossary 260
References and Recommendations for Further Reading 264
