Bigger and tastier fruits and vegetables could soon be gracing our plates, thanks to trailblazing research in Scotland and the US. Experts at the Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh (RBGE), working with colleagues in New York and Baltimore, have discovered genes that control how large edible plants will grow.
The scientists say the breakthrough could lead to new varieties of current favorites such as heirloom tomatoes and aubergines, and could eventually be developed to supercharge other common vegetables, as well as key crops such as wheat.
They say there's a possibility of using gene editing in the future to even grow potatoes that are easier to peel, or produce fresh pasta that will last a lot longer in the fridge than two days.
At the same time, the developments could help improve food security around the world by helping to support agriculture in areas where local varieties of these common foods are too small for large-scale production.
Read more at The Sunday Post