Juicy Research Unearths New Genome Within the Tomato Family

Credit: Stacey Smith

A wild Iochroma cynaeum growing in southern Ecuador. South America is home to many diverse members of the tomato family, which also includes potatoes and chili peppers. Researchers can learn how important plant families evolved by collecting genomes from different sub-species. This information can inform future breeding efforts.

« Juicy Research Unearths New Genome Within the Tomato Family

Credit: Stacey Smith

A closer look at the flower and fruit of an Iochroma cyaneum shrub grown in southern Ecuador. Like its relative, the tomatillo, this shrub’s fruit has an enlarged husk growing around it. Researchers recently were able to create a full genetic sequence for the plant, called the genome.

« Juicy Research Unearths New Genome Within the Tomato Family

Credit: Stacey Smith

A cultivated form of Iochroma cynaeum grown at the University of Colorado-Boulder. In this study, the genome shuffling of Iochroma didn’t closely resemble any other sequenced genome, meaning the shrub has had its own unique evolutionary path.

« Juicy Research Unearths New Genome Within the Tomato Family

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