PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY: A SUSTAINABLE TOOL FOR NATURAL FARMING

PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY OFFERS INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS TO ENHANCE NATURAL FARMING, A SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURAL PRACTICE EMPHASIZING ECOLOGICAL BALANCE AND MINIMAL EXTERNAL INPUTS. NON-GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISM (NON-GMO) BIOTECHNOLOGICAL TOOLS, SUCH AS TISSUE CULTURE, BIOFERTILIZERS, BIOPESTICIDES, AND MICROBIAL INOCULANTS, ALIGN WITH NATURAL FARMING PRINCIPLES BY IMPROVING CROP PRODUCTIVITY, SOIL HEALTH, AND BIODIVERSITY WITHOUT SYNTHETIC CHEMICALS. THIS PAPER EXPLORES THESE TOOLS, THEIR APPLICATIONS, BENEFITS, AND CHALLENGES IN NATURAL FARMING. CASE STUDIES FROM INDIA AND THE PHILIPPINES DEMONSTRATE YIELD IMPROVEMENTS OF 10-30% USING BIOFERTILIZERS AND TISSUE CULTURE. CHALLENGES INCLUDE LIMITED FARMER ACCESS AND PUBLIC MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT BIOTECHNOLOGY. FUTURE ADVANCEMENTS, SUCH AS TAILORED MICROBIAL CONSORTIA, COULD FURTHER INTEGRATE BIOTECHNOLOGY WITH NATURAL FARMING, PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE FOOD PRODUCTION.