Plant biotechnology and breeding: allied for years to come.
Plant metabolic engineering is lagging behind other kinds of genetic manipulation of plants. Creating metabolic pathways or improving their yields requires a better understanding of plant metabolism and of its regulation. Metabolic Control Analysis provides an interpretation of experimental failures and a guide for manipulators. It suggests also that there might be intrinsic limits to raising yields in already abundant products. At present, these limits can be dealt with more effectively by plant breeding.
Morandini
Piero
P
Department of Biology, University of Milan, via Celoria 26, 20133 Milan, Italy. piero.morandini@unimi.it
Salamini
Francesco
F
D001709:Biotechnology / Q000639:trends*; D001947:Breeding; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D005818:Genetic Engineering / Q000639:trends*; D010944:Plants / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic