Abstract: This article summarized the brief history, current status and major developing trends of plant biotechnology since 1980. It is concerntrated on the aspects of using transgenic plants as well as engineered virus as a vector to produce medicinal polypeptides, using transgenic plants as a tool to improve crop production、quality and resistance to unfavorable environmental conditions including weed killer, to increase the rate of photosynthesis and nitrogen fixation. The possibility of biomedical use of engineered microbe and its future was also discussed.

Key words: genetic engineering, vector, grain quality improvement, stress, biomedicine

摘要： 介绍了80年代以来植物基因工程的历史、现状和发展趋势，对利用转基因植物生产药用蛋白，用工程病毒为载体生产药用蛋白，改进植物品质及逆境适应性，提高光合作用和固氮效率，抗除草剂工程植物及工程微生物与生物医学的关系等作了可行性分析和前景预测。

关键词: 基因工程, 载体, 品质改良, 逆境, 生物医学