Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Genetic Variation Lacking

A journal published in the Nature Genetics Journal has revealed the history of tomatoes. A group of Chinese agricultural scientists, after sequencing three hundred and sixty varieties of tomato plants, have discover the tomato breeding history. This study is the first to show how the early domestication and modern breeding has effected the genetic makeup of farmed tomatoes.

This study identified two independent sets of genes that cause the tomatoes to be one hundred times larger than that of its wild ancestors. This makes the tomato more commercial acceptable but genetically lacking. In the findings, the sequencing showed that in a specific region of the tomato's genome had no genetic variation. They found that the DNA around the gene that makes the fruit larger and the gene that makes the tomato resistant to disease is depleted. Genetic variation is the variation of genomes in a species. It creates genetic diversity in a population and is due to gene combinations. Gene combinations such as crossing over and genetic drift. It is important to have and maintain genetic variation because it keeps species diverse.

The genetic uniformity is food crop tomatoes could be dangerous and show that there needs to be a higher diversity in the tomatoes we grow and eat today. The potato famine in Ireland happened because there was no genetic variation in the potatoes and the disease that effected one crop soon killed all the crops.

3 comments:

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  2. Katie MalikowskiApril 22, 2015 at 7:48 AM

    I agree, after recently learning about the potato famine in Ireland I believe that we may really want to consider creating more diversity among our tomato crops. A tomato famine could create a terribly economic and environmental problem.

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  3. I also agree. Genetic variation is key to the longevity of our food crops.

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