Bigger and more flavorful tomatoes and eggplants may soon become a reality, thanks to a team of scientists at Johns Hopkins University and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. Their research has identified key genes that influence fruit size, paving the way for new crop varieties that could enhance both taste and agricultural efficiency.

This breakthrough could lead to the development of improved heirloom tomato and eggplant varieties, particularly in regions where existing local crops are too small for large-scale farming.

“Once you’ve done the gene editing, all it takes is one seed to start a revolution,” said co-lead author Michael Schatz … “With the right approvals, we could mail an engineered seed to Africa or anywhere it’s needed and open up entirely new agricultural markets. There’s huge potential to translate these advances into real-world impact.”

This research is part of a broader initiative to map the complete genomes of 22 nightshade crops, including tomatoes, potatoes, and eggplants, in an effort to better understand and enhance their genetic traits.

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