Ayesha Ameen and Shahid Raza / International Journal of Advances in Scientific Research 2017; 3(12): 129-137. 129 IJASR|VOL 03|ISSUE 12|2017 www.ssjournals.com International Journal of Advances in Scientific Research ISSN: 2395-3616 (Online) Journal DOI: https://doi.org/10.7439/ijasr Review Article Green Revolution: A Review Ayesha Ameen * and Shahid Raza University of South Asia, Lahore Pakistan QR Code *Correspondence Info: Ms. Ayesha Ameen Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Asia, Lahore *Article History: Received: 24/09/2017 Revised: 06/12/2017 Accepted: 06/12/2017 DOI: https://doi.org/10.7439/ijasr.v3i12.4410 Abstract The Green Revolution refers to a series of research, development, and technology transfer initiatives, occurring between 1943 and the late 1970s in Mexico, which increased industrialized agriculture production in many developing nations. The initiatives involved the development of high-yielding cereal grains, expansion of irrigation infrastructure, and distribution of hybridized seeds, synthetic fertilizers, and pesticides to farmers. The term "Green Revolution" was first used in 1968 by former USAID director William Gaud. The goal of the Green revolution was to increase the efficiency of agricultural processes so that the productivity of the crops was increased and could help developing countries to face their growing population‘s needs. Keywords: Green Revolution, technology transfer, agriculture. 1. Introduction The Green Revolution began in 1944 when the Rockefeller Foundation founded an institute to improve the agricultural output of Mexican farms. This produced astounding results, so that Mexico went from having to import half its wheat to self-sufficiency by 1956, and by 1964, to exports of half a million tons of wheat. [1] The growth of crop yields was such that agriculture was now able to outstrip population growth - per capita production increased every year following 1950. The use of genetic engineering in agriculture to create genetically modified foods is viewed by some as the natural continuation of the Green revolution.[2] 1.1 What is the need for Green Revolution?  More urban people  Population increasing rapidly  Food production not keeping pace[3] 2. Agricultural Techniques The techniques refined and developed by the Green revolution are, roughly:  Extensive use of chemical fertilizers - Every plant basically relies on several basic compounds in order to grow. Primary is nitrogen need. Only in the nitrate form can plants absorb the nitrogen they require.  Irrigation: The Green revolution further developed irrigation methods to allow for more efficient irrigation.  Use of heavy machinery - Mechanized harvesters and other machinery was not new to agriculture - the McCormick reaper was developed in the nineteenth century - but the Green revolution allowed a drastic reduction in the input of human labor to agriculture by extending the use of machinery to automate every possible agricultural process.  Pesticides and herbicides - The development of chemical pesticides and herbicides (including organochlorine and organophosphate compounds) allowed further improvements in crop yields by allowing for efficient weed control (by use of herbicide early in the growing season) and eradication of insect pests. [4] 2.1 Techniques for plant transformation Some transformation methods are based on utilizing Agrobacterium, a pathogen of dicotyledonous (broad-leafed) plants that transfer genes into the plant genome.