Strawberry gene code cracked finally by teams of scientists. They have finally laid their hands on the genetic codes of the wild strawberry and certain type of cacao which is used to produce chocolates of high quality. These findings will help the cultivators to come up with better quality yields.

Scientists say that cracking the strawberry gene code will actually help them to reach out to wide varieties of food crops like pears, peaches, apples and raspberries, which are closely related to wild strawberry in or the other way. This gene mapping will help the cultivators to toy with hybrid varieties of crops that will yield more within a short time span.

Dan Sargent of Britain's Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) Crop Science Initiative opinioned that most of the food crops have lost their actual genome characteristics due to hybridizing and cross-breeding performed on them. The food crops have relatively complicated genomes than the wild strawberry. So, it was pretty easier for the scientists to reach out to these wild luscious strawberries and lay hands on their genes. Dan Sargent and his team found that the Strawberries had around 35000 genes, which is about one and half times the number of genes we humans have.  This research indicates that various varieties of strawberries can be developed using the traits shown by these genes.

Todd Mockler, of Oregon State University - one of the influential researchers on the team of scientists working in U.S., says that "This will accelerate research that will lead to improved crops, particularly commercial strawberries.” The scientists are hoping that these study results will lead to development of those yielding breeds of plants which can fight against pests, and tolerate adverse weather conditions, smell good, taste good and overall look good. The scientists also believe that such hybrids will require less care than the original varieties.

Similarly scientists have cracked the genomes of a fine chocolate producing cacao plant. Scientists ripped the genetic structure of Criollo variety of the cacao plant, called. Theobroma cacao. The scientists say that this variety of cacao was domesticated by Mayans some 3000 years ago. This variety of the crop is not cultivated by the farmers today because they have switched to more indigenous hybrid varieties which give them high yield in less time. The study to unlock the genetics of chocolate was financed by chocolate giants Hershey and Mars, who wanted to know the secrets of tasty chocolates. These chocolate makers are in the search of those genomes which will help them to identify those yields which will help them to produce fine chocolates.

Indeed it becomes really interesting to see scientists and food manufacturers showing interest for everything good, when the others are trying to fool us with cheaper hybrids at high prices.

Image Courtesy: edibleportland.com