GLK2 responsible gene tomato flavor change.

Intensive production forget the importance of this gene to maintain the characteristic flavor.

When tomatoes were grown in the orchards and their fate was for own consumption or to sell on the market, a tasty tomato sought, juicy and with that characteristic smell.

But when it changed the way we produce large areas of intensive production, where the producer cares more about the physical appearance of tomatoes, some red tomatoes are sought, bright and without "green shoulders" increase their economic benefits.

At the end of June last year, He unveiled an investigation in which Spanish scientists have discovered a gene that affects the quality of tomato.

GLK2 is the gene that regulates the activity of chloroplasts in the fruit. Chloroplasts are organelles responsible (Among other functions) formation of sugars through photosynthesis.

When it changed the way we produce, tomato was affected. then, Tomatoes were selected mutation "u" (uniform mutation), which consisted of obtaining the tomatoes that ripen uniformly produced an attractive red fruit.

What was not taken into account is that, with this choice, they affected the gene GLK2 (which makes the tomato has more sugar), so although the tomato had a nice look, its taste was not the best.

Now that scientists already know where the fault, He is confident that the authentic taste to recover from the true tomato.