Tobacco is completely free of nicotine

Scientists at Kyoto University (Japan) have made a breakthrough in the way of creating tobacco that does not contain nicotine toxins when a gene controls the transfer of nicotine from tobacco roots. on their leaves.

Professor Kazufumi Yazaki, a molecular biologist working at Kyoto University's Institute for Sustainable Environment, said during the three-year study, he and his colleagues identified the gene. Nt-JAT1 works to convert nicotine onto tobacco leaves.

Researchers can inhibit this gene to prevent the nicotine transfer process and accumulate this toxin in leaves. That way, they can create a tobacco plant with absolutely no nicotine.

This finding opens hope for smokers because they will be able to relax all day long without fear of lung cancer risk.

However, scientists said that to achieve this goal, there are still some problems to be solved.