What is it about?
Plant genetics researchers at the University of Florida found more genetic evidence that will improve the yield of fresh-market tomatoes. They first report specific DNA regions responsible for the fresh-market tomato yield and subsets of the yield responsible for different consumer markets (e.g., extra-large-sized fruit > 6.985 cm in diameter).
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Why is it important?
The fresh-market tomato is one of the two most widely consumed types of contemporary tomatoes, and it is bred for direct consumption (e.g., tomato slices to a burger). The other is the processing tomato, destined for processed foods such as ketchup. The practical implication of this study is that it suggests a way to facilitate artificial selection that helps tomato improvement programs produce bigger harvests. The results from this study emphasize the value of expanding this research to other important but yet poorly understood fresh-market tomato traits such as flavor.
Perspectives
There is a high demand for fruits that are large (i.e., extra-large-sized fruit) in the U.S. fresh-market tomato class; therefore, the yield of such large-sized fruit is considered important by fresh-market tomato breeders. This study addressed more realistic issues about tomato genetics and breeding to satisfy market demands and production systems.
Tong Geon Lee
University of Florida
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Genetic architecture of fresh-market tomato yield, BMC Plant Biology, January 2023, Springer Science + Business Media,
DOI: 10.1186/s12870-022-04018-5.
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