WATERLOO TECHNICAL SOCIETY Wednesday, 10 March 2004Greenstreets atCedar Falls Holiday InnTopic: | | Agricultural Biotechnology and DNA
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Speaker: | | Chuck Kabet Agronomist, Monsanto Corporation |
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Program Chair: | | Floyd Danielson |
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Program: | | In the past, improvements to crop plants were made through selective breeding using controlled pollination of plants, which is called hybridization. Plant biotechnology allows for the transfer of genetic information in a more precise and controlled manner. This more precise science allows plant breeders to develop crops with specific beneficial traits and can avoid undesirable traits. Specific beneficial traits include the ability to fight plant pests, insects, weeds and disease. Other beneficial traits provide quality improvements such as taste, nutrition, etc. DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) from different organisms is essentially the same - simply a set of directions to make the proteins that are the basis of life. Researches now can transfer specific pieces of DNA from one plant to another using enzymes to cut and paste gene segments. |
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Price: | | $11.00 per person (includes tax, tip & room rent.) |
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Time: | | Social period: 6:00 P.M. Dinner: 6:30 P.M. at Greenstreets Restaurant, 5826 University Ave., Cedar Falls. |
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Reservations: | | Telephone Bob Tujetsch (319) 234-1273, by noon on Monday, March 8th, 2004. Leave message on answering machine. Guests are welcome if they make a reservation. Please state if special dinner preparations are necessary. |
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Dues: | | 2003-2004 Dues of $10.00 may be sent to the Treasurer: David Berry, 116 Usher Road, Hudson, IA 50643 or may be paid at the meeting. If your mailing label shows "S04", you are paid up through September 2004. |
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