Scientists and researchers at Bihar Agriculture University (BAU), Sabour (Bhagalpur), have developed a seedless tomato variety under the guidance of BAU Vice-Chancellor D R Singh. This achievement through scientific research is expected to revolutionize the vegetable farming and food processing industries by improving qualities such as increased pulp and shelf life. However, the research team is focusing on the propagation of its saplings since no seeds are formed in these tomatoes.
The new variety has been developed by the Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics at BAU, in collaboration with the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), Government of India, and the Board of Research in Nuclear Science (BRNS), Government of India. The seedless (mutated) variety of tomato was developed under a research program financed by the DAE and BRNS. BAU is also working on improving the qualities of other vegetables.
BAU Vice-Chancellor D R Singh highlighted the key factors of the scientific research in developing the seedless tomato variety, calling it a historic achievement aimed at optimizing agricultural production and providing a new dimension to the tomato processing industries in India. "The BAU research aims to identify the genes responsible for seed formation and development to create further methods to induce seedless varieties through genetic engineering and breeding," said the Vice-Chancellor.
Read more at Times of India