New genetic fine-tuning boosts nutrition, flavor and fragrance in produce
Baku, February 23, AZERTAC
Israeli researchers say they have found a way to produce more fragrant flowers, more flavorful vegetables, and crops with enhanced nutritional value by fine-tuning a single genetic control point inside the plant, according to TPS-IL.
From ornamental plants with stronger scent and longer shelf appeal to leafy greens with higher antioxidant content, the lead researcher told The Press Service of Israel that the method offers a new route to improving crop quality without introducing foreign DNA.
“Our method allows the creation of materials that are in demand in the food and medicine industry. It enables the quick creation of fruits and vegetables that are tastier and healthier, and are also more resilient, just by shutting down the activity of one enzyme,” Dr. Oded Skaliter of the Institute of Plant Sciences and Genetics in Agriculture at the Hebrew University told TPS-IL.
The findings, recently published in the peer-reviewed International Journal of Molecular Sciences, point to practical applications that could reach commercial agriculture.
The Israeli research team focused on an enzyme known as HMGR. This enzyme regulates the production of terpenoids, a vast group of natural compounds responsible for plant aroma, pigmentation, defense, and various health-related properties. However, plants tightly control their production, Skaliter explained. When enough terpenoids accumulate, the enzyme’s activity slows down to conserve energy.
Skaliter’s team used a molecular “cutting” method known as CRISPR to precisely neutralize this regulatory segment in petunias and lettuce. Instead of shutting down the gene, they subtly altered its control switch, easing the brake while preserving the plant’s overall health.
In petunias, the impact was immediate. The plants produced a noticeably stronger fragrance, grew more vigorously, and developed larger blooms, Skaliter said. For the ornamental plant and perfume industry, where scent and visual appeal drive market value, such traits could carry economic significance.
The same strategy was then applied to lettuce, a crop widely consumed but often considered nutritionally modest. The modified lettuce showed increased levels of compounds linked to flavor and antioxidant activity.
Because the final plants contain no foreign DNA and no genetic engineering, Skaliter described the method as easier to regulate commercially. He noted that this precision approach could offer growers a practical tool for developing higher-quality crops while addressing consumer and regulatory concerns surrounding conventional genetic modification.
“We hope to implement the same method commercially in more vegetables, starting with peppers, to give farmers and consumers all the advantages they can get,” Skaliter said.
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