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VOA慢速英语2014 科学家发现美味西红柿的秘密

时间:2014-09-12 15:27来源:互联网 提供网友:nan   字体: [ ]
    (单词翻译:双击或拖选)

 

Scientists Discover Secrets for Tastier Tomatoes 科学家发现美味西红柿的秘密

Scientists have discovered the genetic1 secrets of two unpopular members of two favorite food families. They hope the discoveries will produce tastier tomatoes and stronger rice.

The scientists discovered the complete set of genetic rules of African rice and wild tomatoes. They published their studies in two reports in the journal Nature Genetics.

There are good reasons African rice and wild tomatoes have not been popular. Asian rice is more productive2 and easier to process than African rice. The wild tomato is poisonous.

Rod Wing is a plant biologist at Arizona State University. He helped map the African rice genes3. And there is some good news to report.

“There are some varieties that have been kinda well-adapted to grow in kind of mangrove4 areas, which are quite a bit more salty than you would experience for Asian rice.”

Mr. Wing says African rice can grow in salty and even poisonous soil. And it can grow around weeds and in extremely dry conditions. He says this strength is increasingly important as climate change makes crop production more difficult. He says that this is important because the Earth’s population is growing quickly.

“There’s gonna be two-to two-and-a-half-billion more people on the planet in less than 40 years, and that’s a pretty scary scenario5.”

Scientists will be able to make better rice faster. They can now identify the genes that control what is good about African rice and combine those genes with Asian rice.

The wild tomato also has some good qualities. Scientists found that it can grow in salty as well as very dry conditions, like the African rice. Bjorn Usadel of Germany’s RWTH Aachen University is one of the scientists who published the genetic maps of the two plants. The map identifies the genes that may be responsible for these qualities.

“The tomatoes are green and potentially there’s something inside that’s just not healthy; but there’s also other interesting things inside.”

The new map could also help improve the quality of tomatoes sold in food stores. Many people say these tomatoes do not taste very good. Mr. Usadel says researchers found differences in the genes of wild and farm-grown tomatoes that affect how they taste and smell.

“So, even though these wild tomatoes definitely don’t taste better, this population gives us actually an indication where the taste is coming from.”

The scientist says there is another use for the map. He says it will permit scientists to make sure that any new kinds of tomatoes developed from wild tomato do not carry any of its poisonous genes. 


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1 genetic PgIxp     
adj.遗传的,遗传学的
参考例句:
  • It's very difficult to treat genetic diseases.遗传性疾病治疗起来很困难。
  • Each daughter cell can receive a full complement of the genetic information.每个子细胞可以收到遗传信息的一个完全补偿物。
2 productive nQxxT     
adj.能生产的,有生产价值的,多产的
参考例句:
  • We had a productive meeting that solved some problems.我们开了一个富有成效的会议,解决了一些问题。
  • Science and technology are part of the productive forces.科学技术是生产力。
3 genes 01914f8eac35d7e14afa065217edd8c0     
n.基因( gene的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • You have good genes from your parents, so you should live a long time. 你从父母那儿获得优良的基因,所以能够活得很长。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Differences will help to reveal the functions of the genes. 它们间的差异将会帮助我们揭开基因多种功能。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 生物技术的世纪
4 mangrove 4oFzc2     
n.(植物)红树,红树林
参考例句:
  • It is the world's largest tidal mangrove forest.它是世界上最大的红树林沼泽地。
  • Many consider this the most beautiful mangrove forest in all Thailand.许多人认为这里是全泰国最美丽的红树林了。
5 scenario lZoxm     
n.剧本,脚本;概要
参考例句:
  • But the birth scenario is not completely accurate.然而分娩脚本并非完全准确的。
  • This is a totally different scenario.这是完全不同的剧本。
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