ARS Scientists to Make Salads Healthier
April 27, 2022| |
Scientists from the US Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service (ARS) are taking advantage of the latest tools and techniques in genomics to beef up the nutritive value of onions and carrots, and make future salads even more nutritious.
Philipp Simon, who leads the ARS Vegetable Crops Research Unit, is working with his team to boost the beta carotene content of carrots. Beta carotene is a vital pigment that makes carrots orange in color and when this is consumed, it is converted into vitamin A, which has numerous benefits for human health and wellbeing. They are also seeking ways to increase the phytonutrients in onion to help lessen the risk of heart disease, stroke, and some forms of cancer.
The researchers are using genomic mapping techniques to pinpoint markers that can indicate the presence of a particular gene or genes that will help boost the phytonutrients in carrots and onions. They are also looking for markers linked to agronomic characteristics such as pest and disease resistance to help farmers reduce production costs and improve consumers' health at the same time.
Read more from ARS.
| |
You might also like:
- Pocket K No. 27: Biotechnology and Biofortification
- The Search for New Sources of Salt Tolerance in Carrots
- Wageningen Scientists Unravel Onion Genome
Biotech Updates is a weekly newsletter of ISAAA, a not-for-profit organization. It is distributed for free to over 22,000 subscribers worldwide to inform them about the key developments in biosciences, especially in biotechnology. Your support will help us in our mission to feed the world with knowledge. You can help by donating as little as $10.
-
See more articles:
-
News from Around the World
- Scientists Resurrect Ancient Rubisco to Improve Photosynthesis
- Protein Discovery Reveals How Fungi Bypasses Plant Defenses
- ARS Scientists to Make Salads Healthier
- MIT Scientists Seek to Develop Self-fertilizing Crops, Combat Climate Change
- Biotechnology and Regulation in the Philippines
-
Research Highlights
- GE Poplar Trees Help Fight Climate Change
-
Plant
- Belgium Grants Permits for New Field Trials of 3 Genome-Edited Maize
- Gene Editing Tool Enables A to G Base Conversion in the Mitochondria
-
Read the latest: - Biotech Updates (January 15, 2025)
- Gene Editing Supplement (January 15, 2025)
- Gene Drive Supplement (February 22, 2023)
-
Subscribe to BU: - Share
- Tweet