Question

How is the Flavr Savr tomato (the genetically modified tomato) different from the regular tomato and why?

Answer 1

Hint: Genetically modified crops are developed to fulfill the requirement of food with an increasing population. Genetically modified crops develop in less time and are resistant to pests. It is the best technique in crop development as compared to normal breeding and hybridization.

Complete answer:
Flavr Savr tomato has a long shelf-life because of slow ripening in comparison with regular tomato, but the texture and flavor of both the tomatoes are the same. Genetically modified crops obtain through genetic engineering. In this technique, the DNA of the plant is modified and a new plant variety gets developed which is more efficient and has a long life as compared to the normal one.

Additional Information: First, the genetically modified crop is Flavr Savr tomato developed by Calgene researchers in 1987 and got approval for its release in 1994. In 1987 calgene researcher started to work on the tomato gene, to find out which gene causes fast ripening, after some years it was found that the enzyme polygalacturonase causes the ripening of tomato which makes tomato soft by the degradation of pectin on the cell wall. To slow down the ripening process RNA silencing technique where used similar to RNAi where the RNA gets introduced with modification of DNA and this RNA causes silencing of that RNA which leads to the production of enzyme polygalacturonase. Slow ripening also prevents rotting and resistance to the pest.
Later genetically modified crops are made insect resistant and herbicide tolerant with improved taste and high nutrition, and the production is increased with an increase in demand. Corn, soybean, and cotton are the largest producing genetically modified crops.

Note: From 1997 Flavr Savr tomato was removed from the market because of its same texture and flavor as regular tomato and the price was high. The technique to increase self-life is not that efficient, that’s why it was removed from the market.