Basic Information
A pharm crop is a race of plants genetically engineered to produce a specific compound - either one not normally found in nature, one spliced in from a different species or a naturally occurring one from that species hyperexpressed. Candidate compounds are traditionally pharmaceuticals (hence the name), but other compounds could qualify without too much deviation from the basic idea - precursors to usable compounds are also viable. The crop is then grown and harvested using normal agricultural techniques and the target compound extracted from the result. This technique is an alternative to producing the target compound with synthetic chemistry or from a culture tank and may whilst still theoretical technology, may prove to be a cost effective way of producing some compounds in the future.
Sources
Game and Story Use
- A good source of "magic herbs" for an After the end setting.
- Likewise, a good way to give an apparently primitive culture some surprisingly advanced pharmaceuticals.
- Low volume, high value crops may make agriculture a viable profession for more people.