As global temperatures soar, our food supply is at risk, but nature always finds a way! Chinese scientists from the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology (IGDB) at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, led by Professor Xu Cao, have discovered an innovative mechanism that helps tomato plants fight off extreme heat. 🌡️
When the heat ramps up, tomato plants boost the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). This surprising reaction triggers a process in the shoot apical stem cells—the plant’s growth command center—resulting in a delay in shoot maturation. Instead of rushing into flowering under stressful conditions, tomatoes extend their vegetative growth. This means they essentially press the pause button on flowering until cooler, more favorable temperatures return, ensuring that yield losses are kept to a minimum.
This redox-controlled bet-hedging strategy not only protects the plant during periods of extreme heat but also stabilizes yields by preventing premature transitions to the reproductive phase. Researchers observed that this clever survival tactic could prevent up to 63% of yield losses in the early fruit truss. It’s a breakthrough that could pave the way for precision breeding of climate-smart crops, ensuring food security in our warming world. 🌍
In a nutshell, this study provides a fresh conceptual framework that could transform agricultural practices and help us better meet the challenges of climate change—one tomato at a time!
Reference(s):
Chinese scientists reveal how tomatoes beat heat, stabilize yields
cgtn.com
