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I am a blackberry grower in Oregon and want to know if you could develope a gmo berry for us? One that is resistant to mold, very nutritious, frost resistant, excellent flavor and very productive? If your interested please respond with any info ? I am the Research chair for the Oregon Blackberry Commission. Thanks, Ken

Submitted by: Ken


Answer

Expert response from Kevin Folta

Professor and Chairman, Horticultural Sciences Department, University of Florida

Friday, 08/05/2015 13:41

Hi Ken, your request was sent to me. I’m the chair of horticultural sciences at the University of Florida.  I’m good friends with your blackberry breeder out there.

 

I’m really interested in how we can apply biotech to small fruit crops.  Blackberries are wonderful, but fragile, and we can’t grow them well outside of certain areas.  Their postharvest performance can be improved, and nutrition is pretty good.  They take years to breed and have complicated genomes.  Seems like a job for biotech!

 

However, when I read your request list I think you have a tall order.  While we hear all the time that biotech can solve the world’s problems, right now there is no way to deal with the whole suite of issues you note.  We know for sure that we can add a gene  to help with disease resistance.  We also know we can provide some frost tolerance, at least for a few hours. Flavors are a whole other issue.

 

The answer here is baby steps.  Traditional breeding is good, but slow.  I’d say for now the best bet is to support traditional breeding from the Blackberry Commission, and find the best line that needs one little bump, ones where you could say,  “It is a great line but it lacks ______________.”  That’s the situation we’re looking for.  Adding that one extra trait could be a good job for biotech.

 

My lab has transformed blackberry and it is completely possible.  The big issue is that it would cost more to de-regulate than the industry makes in many months.  However, it is a good idea to get it started!  I’m glad to help any time.