Chinese scientists have bred popcorn-scented tomatoes using gene-editing technology.

Foreign media: Chinese scientists have successfully bred tomatoes with a popcorn-like aroma using the CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technology.

The research team, in a research greenhouse in Zhejiang, made the tomatoes emit an aroma similar to high-quality fragrant rice and fresh buttered popcorn by simultaneously silencing two genes that suppress aromatic compounds.

In 2023, China produced more than 70 million tons of tomatoes, accounting for more than one-third of the global total production, but the flavor of tomatoes has gradually become milder.

This study was conducted by researchers from China and Australia, and the related paper was published on January 24.

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1857931975445572/

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