Japanese Scientists Boost Beta-carotene in Eggplant

Researchers from Ryukoku University and Osaka Metropolitan University in Japan have grown transgenic eggplants with high beta-carotene content. These crops were grown under artificial lighting.

Eggplants only have few carotenoids, like beta-carotene, compared to tomatoes. That is why scientists are searching for ways to boost the amount of beta-carotene in eggplants to make it more nutritious.

The researchers inserted a PSY gene from bacterium Erwinia uredovora into the eggplant to confer beta-carotene accumulation. Their results showed that the beta-carotene content of the eggplants grown under artificial light were 5 times higher than the crops grown in the greenhouse. However, they were smaller in size, which may indicate that fruit development was inhibited by beta-carotene accumulation.

The results provide valuable information for developing transgenic eggplant varieties rich in beta-carotene that thrive under artificial lighting conditions.

Read the article on J-Stage for more information.