Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Rutgers Professor Uses Genetics to Change Squash

Rutgers University Professor Dr. Oved Shifriss has used genetics to change squash. The Jersey Golden Acorn Squash has won the 1982 All-American Selections Bronze Medal. The squash contains forty percent more protein and three times more beta carotene, which what our bodies convert to make vitamin A.


 Dr. Shifriss didn't originally plan on changing the squash. He was interest in the bi colored gourd, and wanted to know the reason for the two colors seen in squash.  He eventually isolated the pigment regulating gene and named it "B" gene for bi-color and transferred that gene to various squash. Dr. Shifriss has strong beliefs that his research is the beginning to the evolution of squash to a major farm product of high quality. He says "the coming of squash will be as tasty as sweet corn, much more nutritious...all we need is time and the right combination of genes." Gene B is the fourth fruit-color gene. Gene B (Bicolor) does not affect a fruits color intensity but actually affects the fruits hue.

This article is extremely interesting because Dr. Shifriss's twenty seven years of research has changed squash to have more protein and more beta carotene which is excellent for us. One single gene in squash can affect how the plant is grown and the ability to harvest more faster since the plant cannot sustain more than four mature fruits at a time. Dr. Shifriss's research is extremely interesting and although more needs to be done to perfect the Jersey Golden Acorn Squash what research has been done is impressive and its seedlings are in farmers markets today.





Article: http://www.nytimes.com/1982/06/13/arts/genetics-led-the-way-to-a-new-kind-of-squash.html
Secondary Link: Dual Role of the Pigmentation Gene B

2 comments:

  1. That's really interesting, but I don't even like squash though. I do think its cool that Dr. Shifriss made a healthier product.

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  2. Though there is alot of people who are against tampering with our food genetically. One thing we have to ponder is that as the population grows the food sources are somewhat shrinking. At some point we are going to have to make what we can grow more efficient for consumption.

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