Gene increases cold resistance in citrus fruits

Primarily cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions, citrus fruits are highly susceptible to cold, a factor that compromises fruit productivity and quality. With the increasing frequency of cold waves due to climate change, the urgency for genetic solutions to preserve these crops grows. Although the importance of GB in cold protection was already known, the molecular mechanisms regulating its accumulation had not yet been fully understood — a gap now filled by this new research. The international team, which included researchers from Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine and Huazhong Agricultural University, found that PtrPAT1, belonging to the GRAS transcription factor family, activates the PtrBADH-1 gene, fundamental in GB biosynthesis. In experiments with genetically ...