Development of genetically modified purple tomato variety rich in anthocyanin

Anthocyanins are a group of pigments that help boost antioxidants and create purple, red or blue colors for a variety of fruits and vegetables.

The Chinese Academy of Sciences said on November 12 that Chinese researchers developed a genetically modified purple tomato variety rich in anthocyanin .

The purple Indigo Rose cultivar expresses anthocyanin accumulation depending on the light on the skin.(Artwork: windsorstar)

Anthocyanins are a group of pigments that help boost antioxidants and create purple, red or blue colors for a variety of fruits and vegetables.

Several studies show that the intake of anthocyanins in the diet can help people reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer.

For tomatoes, although most tomato varieties do not produce anthocyanins when fruiting, the Indigo Rose purple tomato exhibits anthocyanin accumulation depending on the light on the skin of the tomatoes.

Researchers at the Academy of Genetics and Developmental Biology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences studied the pigment synthesis mechanisms of the Indigo Rose tomato variety, identifying key genes in the process, according to the researchers. that produced anthocyanin-rich purple fleshy tomatoes in both the flesh and flesh of tomatoes.

With the discovery of anthocyanin synthesis mechanism, the research also opens up new ideas and techniques to enhance anthocyanin content for plants.

• Technical off-season grafted tomato cultivation in the Red River Delta
• Breeding breeds of black tomatoes