Green biotechnology at the crossroads of nanobiotechnology, globalization, poverty alleviation and food sovereignty

In 2007, we are having very exciting time globally in Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology when methods are constantly progressing to improve microarray quality control and to use transcription factors to discover unknown signal pathways. Simultaneously metabolomlcs has emerged as a significant player in the areas of genomics, proteomics, genetic engineering, biotechnology and nanoblotechnology. The trend in miniaturization of technologies has continued in 2007 from microfluidics to nanofluidics, from microarrays to nanoarrays and nanochips from hiochips. Numerous nanodevices and nanosystems for sequencing single molecules of DNA are feasible. Nanobiotechnology will play an important role in the study of systems biology-also referred to as pathway, network, or integrative biology-in which proteomics play an important role. Nanobiotechnology will provide refined tools for the study of genomlcs and proteomics, realtime single particle tracing in living cells, and dissection of signaling pathways. As a supplementary approach to overall crop improvement, Green biotechnology should make a significant contribution. For facing the challenges of 21^st century successfully it is necessary to identify and assess the frontiers not only in biology (including Green biotechnology) and agriculture but also in economics, sociology, ethics, international trade and politics. Indeed 2007 is also a year of unlimited opportunities and formidable challenges for Green biotechnology (agricultural applications of biotechnology) in the wake of globalization, poverty alleviation and food sovereignty.