Scientists identify tomato genes to tweak for sweeter fruit

Tomatoes grown industrially have been bred for high yields and large size, whereas wild varieties are smaller and sweeter. Photograph: David Talukdar/NurPhoto/Rex/Shutterstock

It is a common complaint in the produce aisle: tomatoes today might be big, but they are tasteless. Now researchers say they can remedy the problem by tweaking genes that affect sugar levels in the fruit.

While their wild relatives produce small, sweet fruit, domesticated tomatoes grown industrially have been bred for high yields, resulting in varieties that are 10-100 times bigger.