Detecting mechanism of

Researchers working at Cold Spring Harbor (CSHL), USA, found it possible to increase the yield of tomato plants (without the use of growth stimulants) by controlling one a molecular level timer, also known as a "growth clock" : when control slows the branching process, it will also increase the number of flowers and tomato production.

The results of this study were published online in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences , issued on December 26, 2011.

When the tomato plant is about to flower, the apical meristems will stop producing the leaves and begin to flower (switch to "flowering meristem" ). Depending on the variety of tomato plants, there will be corresponding flower types. The more branches the tomato has, the less energy there is to supply the fruit process (although there are many branches and each branch has a lot of flowers).

"Our previous study as well as that of other researchers is to find a way to prove the existence of a timer or growth clock , " Lippman added. "We want to identify this growth clock by studying genes that regulate the growth rate of meristem, allowing us to refine the branching process as we like."

Using next-generation biological and sequencing technology to capture replication (this is the activity of all genes in the genome) of stem cells at different stages of the growth and development process, the team of researchers identified nearly 4,000 genes representing the "growth clock" and compared it to the clocks of a series of mutations during branching. humility of a wild tomato variety in Peru.

"Our research results show that relatives of the evolutionary wild tomatoes exhibited branch delay in growth and development, and doubled the number of flowers and fruits. with tomatoes planted in the home garden, " Lippman added. "Now we have a list of selected genes that we can pursue to research and find ways to control the growth clock to make domesticated tomatoes have a branching architecture. similar to wild tomatoes ".

This research is supported by the National Science Foundation's genomics research program and the International Human Science program.