Are there gmo avocados

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Scientists have sequenced the avocado genome, shedding light on the ancient origins of this buttery fruit and laying the groundwork for future improvements to farming. With regard to modern affairs, the study reveals for the first time that the popular Hass avocado inherited about 61 percent of its DNA from Mexican varieties and about 39 percent from Guatemalan ones. Avocados come in many types, but Hass -- first planted in the s -- comprises the bulk of avocados grown around the world.

The research also provides vital reference material for learning about the function of individual avocado genes, and for using genetic engineering to boost productivity of avocado trees, improve disease resistance and create fruit with new tastes and textures.

The study is important for agriculture. Around the world, avocados are spread on tortillas, mashed up to flavor toast, rolled into sushi and blended into milkshakes a popular treat in parts of Southeast Asia. Scientists sequenced not only the Hass avocado, but also avocados from Mexico, Guatemala and the West Indies, which are each home to genetically distinct, native cultivars of the fruit.

The research was published on Aug. Although most people will have only tasted Hass or a couple of other types, there are a huge number of great avocado varieties in the species' Mexican center of diversity, but few people will have tried them unless they travel south of the U. These varieties are genetic resources for avocado's future.

Albert was another leader of the study with Herrera-Estrella. If you can identify the genes that control resistance, and if you know where they are in the genome, you can try to change their regulation. There's major interest in developing disease-resistant rootstock on which elite cultivars are grafted. While the avocado rose to international popularity only in the 20th century, it has a storied history as a source of sustenance in Central America and South America, where it has long been a feature of local cuisines.

Hundreds of years ago, for example, Aztecs mashed up avocados to make a sauce called? Before that, in prehistoric times, avocados, with their megapits, may have been eaten by megafauna like giant sloths.

The Hass avocado is a product of these processes which should not be confused with the modern development of genetic modification.

It is reasonable to assume that genetically modified avocados will eventually find their way to market. Previous attempts at modification were aimed at reducing the size of the pit and increasing resistance to certain fungi and pests, among other things. When genetic modification of avocados is successful at increasing yields and profits for growers, those cultivars will likely proliferate. Genetically modified foods are, of course, a hotly contested topic with many people staunchly opposed to their use.