XVI International Botanical Congess

Biotechnological applications, especially transgenic plants, probably hold the most promise in augmenting agricultural production in the first decades of the next millennium. Herbicide, insect and virus resistant plants have been produce and successfully commercialized in some countries. A new generation of genetically modified plants with better quality traits will soon be commercially available. However, the application of these technologies to the agriculture of tropical regions where the largest areas of low productivity are located and where is most needed, remains a major challenge. In this paper some of the important advances in plants biotechnology and issues that need to be considered to ensure that plant biotechnology is effectively used for the general benefit of society will be discussed.