What's happened
Chinese researchers have developed gene-edited tomatoes with up to 30% higher sugar content without compromising size or yield. This breakthrough could enhance the sweetness of commercially grown tomatoes, addressing consumer preferences and increasing economic value in processing.
Why it matters
What the papers say
The research, published in *Nature*, highlights the work of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences. According to *The Guardian*, Prof. Sanwen Huang emphasized the balance between consumer desires for sweetness and farmers' needs for yield. Meanwhile, *The Independent* noted that the gene-editing process resulted in fewer seeds, but with minimal impact on germination rates. This suggests a promising avenue for enhancing tomato quality without sacrificing agricultural productivity.
How we got here
Tomatoes have been bred for size over sweetness, resulting in larger but less flavorful fruits. Recent research identified two genes that regulate sugar production, allowing scientists to enhance sweetness through CRISPR gene editing.
More on these topics
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Nature is a British weekly scientific journal founded and based in London, England. As a multidisciplinary publication, Nature features peer-reviewed research from a variety of academic disciplines, mainly in science and technology.
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The tomato is the edible, often red berry of the plant Solanum lycopersicum, commonly known as a tomato plant. The species originated in western South America and Central America.
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CRISPR is a family of DNA sequences found in the genomes of prokaryotic organisms such as bacteria and archaea. These sequences are derived from DNA fragments of bacteriophages that had previously infected the prokaryote.