What is an advantage of using biotechnology in agriculture?

Prepare for the AEST Agricultural Biotechnology Specialist Certification Exam. Enhance your knowledge with flashcards and multiple-choice questions, complete with hints and explanations. Get equipped and ready for success!

Utilizing biotechnology in agriculture provides numerous benefits, one of which is improved resistance to diseases. This advantage stems from the ability of biotechnological methods to introduce specific traits into crops that enhance their resilience against pathogens, fungi, and other harmful organisms. By employing techniques such as genetic engineering, crops can be designed to express resistance genes that help fend off diseases, ultimately leading to higher yields and less crop loss.

Increasing disease resistance can also reduce the overall reliance on chemical treatments, contributing to more sustainable farming practices. This not only benefits farmers by increasing their crop productivity but also has a positive impact on the environment by minimizing chemical usage.

The other options highlight aspects that are generally considered disadvantages or challenges associated with agricultural practices, not advantages. For instance, the increased use of pesticides can lead to negative environmental impacts, reduction in crop diversity may jeopardize ecosystem resilience, and higher costs for consumers can detract from the goal of biotechnology, which is to make agriculture more efficient and accessible. Thus, improved disease resistance stands out as a clear advantage of biotechnology in agriculture.

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