We know about GMO foods. Commodity crops, such as corn, rice and wheat, and some vegetables and fruits, such as squashes and pineapples, are genetically modified. But these varieties are available only to commercial growers. Now we have a GMO tomato that's available for home gardeners to grow.
Recent news reports discuss a new, 'Purple' cherry tomato developed by theNorfolk Plant Science Group in England. They've worked for 20 years to move the purple gene trait from snapdragons into a cherry tomato. The result is a purple tomato with high levels of anthocyanin, an anti-cancer and anti-inflammation compound. These anthocyanins are in some tomato fruits already, but at low levels. 'Purple' tomato increases the levels and the potential health benefits. While many like the idea of the health benefits of nutrient dense vegetables, there are concerns about what happens in the environment when these plants are grown such as the controversy around GMO corn harming butterflies and pollinators.
This GMO Purple tomato is making headlines, but it's also good to remember that traditional breeding can also create healthier varieties of edibles. The 'Indigo Rose' purple tomato that I've grown has been bred to have more anthocyanins in the fruit as well. In fact, the whole Indigo series of tomatoes has more than 50 varieties with this benefit that have all been bred traditionally.
Trying to introduce a GMO tomato variety to home gardeners may be tough due to public perception of GMOs being bad for the environment and our health. But Norfolk Plant Sciences hopes to change the conversation. We'll see if it gets accepted.
