Hum Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 An international team of scientists based in Scotland has decoded the full DNA sequence of the potato for the first time. The breakthrough holds out the promise of boosting harvests of one of the world's most important staple crops. Researchers at the James Hutton Institute in Dundee say it should soon be possible to develop improved varieties of potato much more quickly. The genome of an organism is a map of how all of its genes are put together. Each gene controls different aspects of how the organism grows and develops. Slight changes in these instructions give rise to different varieties. Each individual has a slightly different version of the DNA sequence for the species. Professor Iain Gordon, chief executive of the James Hutton Institute, said decoding the potato genome should enable breeders to create varieties which are more nutritious, as well as resistant to pests and diseases. The research is far from complete. Analysing the genetic sequence of the plant will take several more years. At the moment it can take more than 10 years to breed an improved variety. By locating the genes that control traits like yield, colour, starchiness and flavour, the research should make it possible to develop better spuds much more quickly. Potatoes provide the world's fourth-largest crop, with an annual, global yield of 330m tonnes. source Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RO74R Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Windows7even Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 1 potato, 2 potato, 3 potato 4....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c3ntury Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 Image I lol'ed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RO74R Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 <Colin-uk>: potatoes have skin. i have skin. therefore i am a potato. LOLLLL??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Seetheworldsecond Subscriber¹ Posted July 10, 2011 Subscriber¹ Share Posted July 10, 2011 I like french fries from MacDonalds :) Bring on the improved potato! Think of the french fries! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hum Posted July 10, 2011 Author Share Posted July 10, 2011 I want better french fries. :p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 I want sweet potato fries :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crisp Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 I want a Potatoe that talks. Mr Potatoe Head. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hum Posted July 10, 2011 Author Share Posted July 10, 2011 ^ I wonder how many potato genes, humans have. :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sanctified Veteran Posted July 10, 2011 Veteran Share Posted July 10, 2011 Love this news. More food for everyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mudslag Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DootDootMan Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 Great. More genetically modified crap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elliot B. Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 Great. More genetically modified crap. :rolleyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mudslag Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 Great. More genetically modified crap. Given that the world population isnt going to get smaller any time soon, it's going to be important to adapt the food to be able to grow faster, better, in more quantity and in environments that are harder to near impossible to grow in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DootDootMan Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 Given that the world population isnt going to get smaller any time soon, it's going to be important to adapt the food to be able to grow faster, better, in more quantity and in environments that are harder to near impossible to grow in. Great. Food that will kill you. Anything genetically modified never worked out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nub Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 Great. Food that will kill you. Anything genetically modified never worked out. You've probably shoved tons of modified food into your mouth and you seem to be living just fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zhangm Supervisor Posted July 11, 2011 Supervisor Share Posted July 11, 2011 Great. Food that will kill you. Anything genetically modified never worked out. :rolleyes: Great. Don't eat it. More for the rest of us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Veteran Posted July 11, 2011 Veteran Share Posted July 11, 2011 Great. Food that will kill you. Anything genetically modified never worked out. Basically everything you eat is GM. Even so called 'organic' produce or produce you even grow on your own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mudslag Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 Great. Food that will kill you. Anything genetically modified never worked out. Yet we are all still a live. Granted there are some considered down sides but to say its going to kill us is a false statement. http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/are-biotech-foods-safe-to-eat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
giantpotato Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 The world needs more of these. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seizure1990 Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 DootDoot, I hate to break it to you, but there are certain vegetables you can find in a store that didn't even exist until people started cross-breeding. And that's all "genetic modifications" and "genetic engineering" is with plants. Making two different plants produce seeds of mixed DNA (there's also cross-cutting for some plants). Also, on a side-note, and nothing to do with food, but roses looked NOTHING like this: Until people started messing about with them, crossing different breeds and experimenting with them. Yeesh, the way some people talk, you'd think we were trying to mutate them with radiation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 Broccoli, various squash, beans, corn, etc etc. variants.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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