Biochemistry

Since the beginning of the 20th Century, biochemistry – a fusion of biology, chemistry and physiology – has been applied to gain understanding of living systems. In agriculture, the application of biochemistry involves interpreting the functionalities within crop and animal systems, and in soils such that deficiencies are identified and corrected. This is achieved by leveraging on the system’s strengths. For example, biochemistry can be applied to develop plant genotypes that have an increased nutrient value. In this case, a plant’s original genes are tempered with to produce drought, pest and disease resistant varieties. Biochemistry can also be applied to reduce post-harvest losses by improving the processing and storage quality of crops. Due to its ability to identify deficiencies within a living system before specific solutions are proffered, the science contributes to increased productivity and environmental remediation.