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Genetics breakthrough help change taste of tomatoes: scientists

2017/6/6 10:24:29   source:China Plus

A dish of home-made scrambled eggs with tomatoes, July 17, 2015.[Photo: Xinhua]

Researchers from China's Institute of Agriculture say they've have found methods to improve the quality and taste of tomatoes by cracking and re-editing their genetic code.

The idea comes amid growing complaints about a growing blandness in the taste of tomatoes in China, which is one of the most popular vegetables (even though its technically classified as a fruit) in the country.

Why are vegetables and fruits are losing their taste these days?

Scientists have explained that certain genes that decide the flavor of tomatoes are being pushed aside during the breeding process.

Tomatoes, native to South America, were introduced into China sometime during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 CE). Tomatoes have since become one of the most widely grown vegetable varieties in China, famed for its abundant crops and rich nutrition.

In China, tomatoes are mostly eaten raw, which makes flavor a major concern for those who love tomatoes.

"The tomatoes we are eating now are the result of long-time domestication of the wild Currant Tomato. Wild tomatoes often weigh just one or two grams. However, artificial breeding has seen the weight of their domestically-grown ancestors become 100-times heavier," said Huang Wensan, a senior researcher with the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science.

Huang added that modern breeding has put an emphasis on output and appearance, leading to varieties becoming less flavorful.

Can we find a way the make tomatoes both delicious and good-looking?

Huang has suggested genome editing could be the fix.

He said the typical flavor our taste buds are longing for is hiding in the genetic code, adding that the problem could be solved once the critical gene which decides the flavor of tomatoes is detected.

Huang Sanwen and his team participated in a project to determine tomato genomes in 2012, and were able to break the genetic code responsible for tomato flavor.

To find the genes that determine the quality of tomatoes, scientists chose 400 typical varieties to conduct whole-genome sequencing and phenotype identification. After in-depth analysis, they finally identified over 200 genetic codes that determine 33 flavors. Two of those codes determine sugar content, while five control the acid levels.

Research also shows that citric acid and malic acid are two major acids found in tomatoes. The former helps enhance the flavor, while the latter reduces the overall taste.

As such, researchers say they believe they can improve the flavor of tomatoes by increasing the content of citric acid, while cutting back the amount of malic acid.

In theory, consumers may eventually be able to choose how flavorful they want their tomatoes to be through genome editing.

Apart from tomatoes, various varieties of crops bred with the technique, including wheat, rice, corn and potatoes, might hit the market in the near future.

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