2019 ASHS Annual Conference

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) yield has increased steadily throughout the years due to increase in genetic potential and advances in horticultural practices. Nonetheless, further improvement in horticultural performance is still necessary, especially given rising production costs. One of the major changes in the horticultural industries in the U.S. is a shift toward lower labor inputs and increased mechanization to achieve higher levels of productivity with lower costs. To accomplish this in the U.S. field-grown, fresh-market tomato, it is imperative to incorporate genes that optimize phenotypes that make such mechanization feasible. Scientists at the University of Florida and their colleagues are now using CRISPR to alter genes thought to influence tomato's architecture. In this talk, recent studies of genetic loci that have been shown to be key components for achieving beneficial phenotypes will be discussed.