Lettuce Biofortified With Folate Stable in Field Conditions

Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology in Brazil reports stable folate biofortification in lettuce under field conditions for two years. The results are published in Transgenic Research.

Folate, also known as vitamin B9, is an essential nutrient that plays a vital role in several bodily functions. Deficiency in folate may cause health problems, including megaloblastic anemia, neural tube defects in the developing fetus, and increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. Thus, there has been great interest among researchers in increasing the folate levels in food through conventional and molecular breeding.

Embrapa researchers developed transgenic lettuce plants by manipulating the folate synthesis pathway, particularly by expressing the GTP-cyclohydrolase I and aminodeoxychorismate synthase coding sequences from Arabidopsis. The transgenic plants were grown in greenhouse conditions, and then in field conditions for two years. Findings from the field tests indicated stable folate biofortification in the transgenic plants.

Results showed that the biofortified lettuce exhibited up to 3.4 times more folate than the non-transgenic lettuce plants and 1.9 times more folate than spinach, one of the vegetables known to have high folate content. According to the researchers, a folate-biofortified lettuce serving would provide about 36 to 64% of the recommended daily intake.

Read more in Transgenic Research.