Delhi research institute develops tomatoes that stay fresh for 30 days longer
February 2nd, 2010 - 1:26 pm ICT by ANI ( Leave a comment )London, Feb 2 (ANI): Researchers at National Institute of Plant Genome Research in New Delhi have developed tomatoes genetically modified to stay fresh for 30 days longer.
Dr Asis Datta and colleagues found a way to keep tomatoes firm for 45 days, when usually they would start to go soft after 15, reports the Scotsman.
Boffins believe the breakthrough could apply to other fruit - including bananas, mangoes and papaya.
The researchers made the breakthrough after identifying chemicals that make tomatoes go soft. By suppressing two enzymes, known as A-Man and B-Hex, which accumulate at critical stages during ripening, the researchers were able to extend shelf-life by a month.
The findings are published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Dr Datta said: “Overall the results demonstrate a substantial improvement in fruit shelf-life.”
He emphasized that there were no “ill effects”. “In conclusion the engineering of plants provides a strategy for crop improvement that can be extended to other important fruit crops,” he said. (ANI)
- Finding a way to extend tomato shelf life - Feb 17, 2011
- Way to increase freshness of fruits, vegetables - Oct 22, 2009
- States told to curb chemical ripening of fruits - Jun 24, 2010
- Gene leads to longer shelf life for tomatoes, other fruits - Jun 29, 2010
- Chandigarh's mango growers in a pickle - Jan 22, 2012
- Banana farming gaining popularity in Punjab - Nov 16, 2009
- Seedless custard apples set to become next bananas - Mar 15, 2011
- Fountain of youth for tomatoes discovered - Jun 29, 2010
- Indian firm catches the eye of Harvard Business School - Nov 30, 2010
- New method to keep fruit, vegetables and flowers fresh for longer periods of time - Oct 21, 2009
- Tomatoes can save you from high cholesterol - May 19, 2011
- UAE bans import of food items from Japan - Mar 25, 2011
- Blood type diet - secret behind Sir Cliff Richard's slim physique - Oct 07, 2010
- Dropping a gene could make tomatoes sweeter - Jul 22, 2009
- Newly sequenced strawberry genome decoded - Dec 27, 2010
Tags: academy of sciences, asis, bananas, critical stages, crop improvement, datta, enzymes, feb 2, fruit crops, hex, ill effects, london feb, national academy of sciences, New Delhi, plant genome research, proceedings of the national academy, proceedings of the national academy of sciences, scotsman, shelf life, substantial improvement
