Gene trick for fresh tomatoes

Government scientists have developed tomatoes that stay fresh without refrigeration 10 to 12 days longer than ordinary **tomatoes**, using a biological trick that may help reduce India’s embarrassing wastage of **fruits** and **vegetables**. The IARI researchers used a genetic engineering technique to silence a single gene called ACC synthase that makes a key **enzyme** that produces ethylene — a chemical that plays a role in the ripening of tomatoes. “When we block the production of this enzyme, we interfere with the **ethylene** synthesis process, and slow down the ripening,” Bansal said. More "checkbiotech.org":[ http://greenbio.checkbiotech.org/news/gene_trick_fresh_tomatoes]

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