Biotech Updates

Sex Determination of Papaya Trees Now Possible

April 17, 2019

Scientists from Texas A&M AgriLife Research and University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in the US have discovered a sex-determining gene that dictates which of three sexes a papaya tree will become, before seed germination. The team's main objective is to produce seeds that are predetermined to grow into hermaphrodite trees as they are more efficient for papaya production compared to male-female combinations.

This genetic discovery is good news for growers since it could help improve papaya production in controlled environments such as greenhouses. The researchers are now working on producing a clone of the candidate gene, which would be followed by a trial testing to determine its effectiveness. 

For more details, read the news article in the Texas A&M University website