A team of scientists at the National Institute of Plant Genome Research in New Delhi has developed a technique to create transgenic tomatoes that do not become squishy even one and a half months after being plucked. The same method may well be able to extend the shelf life of other fruit too, including banana, mango and papaya. The technique, which has been 
patented, could help reduce the country’s post-harvest losses that run to thousands of crores each year, observed Asis Datta. He is one of the corresponding authors of a paper with details of the research that is being published this week in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. India is the world’s second largest producer of fruits and vegetables, but 35 per cent to 40 per cent of such produce is lost because of softening that accompanies ripening. The softening increases the damage during handling and transportation. No new gene had being introduced into the plants, he emphasised. Instead, a method nown as RNA interference was used to silence genes for two key enzymes. The two enzymes, á-mannosidase and â-D-N-acetylhexosaminidase, were present at high levels during the ripening of many fruits, noted the scientists. Genetically engineered tomatoes in which production of either of the two enzymes was blocked retained their texture and firmness for up to 45 days while the ordinary variety started shrivelling after 15 days.
For Further: www.hindu.com/seta/2010/02/04/stories/2010020450041400.htm
patented, could help reduce the country’s post-harvest losses that run to thousands of crores each year, observed Asis Datta. He is one of the corresponding authors of a paper with details of the research that is being published this week in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. India is the world’s second largest producer of fruits and vegetables, but 35 per cent to 40 per cent of such produce is lost because of softening that accompanies ripening. The softening increases the damage during handling and transportation. No new gene had being introduced into the plants, he emphasised. Instead, a method nown as RNA interference was used to silence genes for two key enzymes. The two enzymes, á-mannosidase and â-D-N-acetylhexosaminidase, were present at high levels during the ripening of many fruits, noted the scientists. Genetically engineered tomatoes in which production of either of the two enzymes was blocked retained their texture and firmness for up to 45 days while the ordinary variety started shrivelling after 15 days.For Further: www.hindu.com/seta/2010/02/04/stories/2010020450041400.htm
