Lettuce, the third most consumed leafy vegetable globally and also in Argentina, has caught the attention of a team of specialists from Inta's Institute of Agrobiotechnology and Molecular Biology (Iabimo), who for 15 years have focused on improving it. Using gene editing techniques, they have managed to develop an improved variety of Grand Rapids curly lettuce, called Swan lettuce, characterized by a higher leaf production and delayed flowering, which has a positive impact on its weight and extends its marketing period.
"We managed to switch off a gene that intervenes in the plant's development and we evaluated numerous specimens until we found the one that had the characteristics we were looking for, that is, larger plants with delayed flowering," explains Valeria Beracochea, a researcher at Iabimo.
Gabriela Soto, head of the Legume Genetic Engineering Laboratory at the public institute, says: "We have also shown that we can specifically and precisely switch off a single gene. With the mastery of this technology, we will be able to improve other plant species" beyond grains, which usually get the lion's share of trials.
Trials of this new lettuce variety have been extended over three generations under greenhouse conditions and in hydroponic systems, maintaining its distinctive characteristics. Currently, the fifth generation of these plants is undergoing field trials to evaluate their productivity and resistance to climatic variations, pathogens and insects. These trials are crucial for the future registration of Swan lettuce with the National Seed Institute (Inase) and its subsequent commercialization.
The development of Swan lettuce represents a significant advance for Argentinean horticulture, as it offers growers the possibility of marketing this vegetable in less time and with a comparable weight to conventional varieties. This progress, according to Inta, will benefit both SMEs and family producers by adapting to different production systems, including organic agriculture and hydroponic systems. Marisa López Bilbao, head of Iabimo's Asteraceae breeding group, emphasizes the importance of this work, which marks a milestone since 1991 in the registration of new lettuce varieties by Inta.
Source: aimdigital.com