Gene finding could improve tomatoes

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LANSING, Mich., Sept. 18 (UPI) -- The discovery of a new gene could lead to better bug-resistant tomatoes, which could learn a thing or two from their wild cousins, U.S. researchers report.

A long history of cultivation has led to tomato crops losing beneficial traits common to wild tomatoes, said scientists at Michigan State University who've reported identifying the gene involved in those beneficial traits.

The gene is involved in trichomes, hair-like protrusions on tomatoes that produce a mixture of specialized chemicals, including acyl-sugars, which act as the first line of defense against pests.

"Acyl sugars play a critical role in allowing wild tomatoes to fend off bugs," MSU biochemist Anthony Schiller said. "Because cultivated tomatoes were not bred for their acyl sugar amounts and quality, they have reduced levels compared to wild ones we do not eat.

"Understanding how they are made is the first step toward breeding cultivated tomatoes, and other plants in this family, to make them more resistant to herbivores."

Other crops that could benefit from this finding include potatoes, peppers, eggplants and petunias, researchers said.