Chinese scientists engineer gene-edited tomato with popcorn aroma

South China Morning PostCenter-RightEN 1 min read 100% complete by Shi HuangFebruary 23, 2026 at 08:06 AM

AI Summary

short article 1 min

Chinese scientists in Zhejiang province have successfully engineered a tomato with a popcorn-like aroma using CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing. By silencing two genes that suppress aromatic compounds, the tomatoes emit a scent similar to fragrant rice, offering a potential solution to the declining flavor of commercially grown tomatoes. The research, led by Xu Shengchun, was inspired by the higher market value of fragrant rice compared to ordinary rice. The team published their findings in the Journal of Integrative Agriculture on January 24. This innovation aims to enhance the consumer appeal of tomatoes, a major crop in China and worldwide.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Journal of Integrative Agriculture 30% Australia 40% Xianghu Laboratory 50% Biotechnology Research Institute 60% Xu Shengchun 70% Zhejiang province 70% China ×290%

Keywords

tomato 100% gene editing 90% crispr/cas9 80% aroma 70% fragrant rice 60% genome 50% flavor 50% vegetable crops 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Positive

Score: 0.30

Source Transparency

Source

South China Morning Post

Political Lean

Center-Right (0.50)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

Geographic Perspective

China

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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tomato gene editing crispr/cas9 aroma fragrant rice genome flavor vegetable crops

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