(i) Biodegradable plastic : The biodegradable plastic is made from lactic acid which is produced at the time of bacterial fermentation of plant materials like discarded stalks of com. Biodegradable plastic is a material w hich has most of the properties of plastic except the property of being non-biodegradable. The biodegradable plastic polyhydroxyalkanates e.g., poly hydroxyl butyrate (PHB) are obtained commercially by fermentation with bacterium Alcaligenes eutrophus. The genetically engineered Arabidopsis plants produced poly hydroxyl butyrate (PHB) globules in their chloroplasts without effecting plant growth and development. The large scale of poly hydroxybutyrate (PHB) can be extracted from leaves as well as from transgenic plants. 

(ii) Pest resistance: To reduce the loss by the way of killing insects, farmers apply insecticides (i.e., synthetic pesticides) on the crop plants. However, the synthetic insecticides pose a serious threat to the health of plants, animals and humans. The alternative and novel ways of rescue from damages of insects are the use of transgenic technology. It is eco-friendly , cost-effective, sustainable and effective way of insect control. Using biotechnological approaches many transgenic crops having cry’ gene i.e., Bi-genes have been developed and commercialized. Some examples of Bt-crops are brinjal, cauliflower, cabbage, canola, com, cotton, egg plant, maize, potato, tobacco, tomato, rice, soyabean, etc. 

(iii) Drought resistance : There are some plants that resist drought conditions. The property of resistance against water loss from the surface of plants is naturally checked by the plants. The special feature is controlled by a specific gene called ‘drought resistance (DR) gene’. Plant biotechnology offers the introduction of DR gene from drought resistant plants into the staple crops for the benefit of enhanced crop yield. The promising GM technology includes the use of techniques for increasing drought tolerance. Research works on these aspects are being investigated at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center, Mexico and individual countries itself.

(iv) Salinity resistance : Irrigation has enabled the transformation of arid regions into some of the w orld’s most productive agricultural areas. Excess salinity, however, is becoming a major problem for agriculture in dry parts of the world. In several cases, scientists have used biotechnology to develop plants with enhanced tolerance to salty conditions. 

Another approach to engineering salt tolerance uses a protein that takes excess sodium and diverts it into a cellular compartment w here it does not harm the cell. In the lab. this strategy was used to create test plants that were able to flow er and produce seeds under extreme salt levels. Commercially available crops with such a modification are still several years away.