Crop Biotech Update

Experts Use Genome Editing to Make Tomatoes Yield Earlier

January 15, 2025

Tomato plant with an unfavorable natural mutation (on the left) and a tomato plant in with the mutation was repaired by genome editing (on the right). The repair of the mutation leads to earlier fruit yield. (Scale: 7.5 cm) Photo by Anna Glaus, UNIL

Researchers in the laboratory of Sebastian Soyk at the Swiss University of Lausanne (UNIL) used genome editing technology, called base editing, to change one of the ~850 million DNA base pairs in the tomato gene to repair an unfavorable domestication mutation.

The researchers used based editing to repair an existing mutation in tomato, the world's second most consumed vegetable crop. Doctoral student Anna Glaus first selected and then investigated the mutated and repaired plants. Glaus characterized 72 plants and harvested during two consecutive days 4,500 fruits that were sorted by size, weight, and maturity (red or green). The sugar content was also measured.

By repairing the deleterious domestication mutation with genome editing, the researchers have obtained a tomato variety that is earlier yielding. Considering,  the Swiss moratorium banning the growth of genetically modified organism (GMO), which expires in June 2025, this new study is thought-provoking. “We show here the varied application of genome editing and its benefit for agriculture”, says Anna Glaus.

For more details, read the news release from UNIL (in French).

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