Reduction of applied pesticides and cancer with the cultivation of transgenic crops

Pests are considered as one of the most important constraints that cause production loss. Although use of pesticides is the most common solution nowadays for pest control in agriculture, this approach has many harmful effects for human health and the environment. Up to now, almost 50 lung cancers provoked by agricultural pesticides have been recognized. Furthermore, pesticide residues can remain in the soil for a long time and can represent a threat for microbial life and can be absorbed through the root system of plants and enter the human food chain. Although strategies like organic agriculture or integrated pest management have been promulgated, the correct use of pesticides is far from having been achieved. However, new technologies like genetic engineering can help overcome the problem of yield loss while still providing healthy GM food with no pesticide residue. Since the first cultivation of GM crops, 18 years have now passed and GM crops have gained significant public acceptance among farmers and consumers. In this review, disadvantages of pesticides on human health (especially cancer) and environment will be discussed.