Behind the Scenes with Matt McClellan

It’s alive!

Frankenplant provides two veggies in one plant

A U.K.-based horticultural firm and a New Zealand garden center both introduced hybrid tomato-potato plants in late September. The firm, Thompson and Morgan, believes this is the first time a grafted hybrid tomato-potato plant has been produced on a commercial scale.

The plants are grown in greenhouses or outside in large containers, look like a standard tomato plant, but plenty of white potatoes grow underneath the soil. When the tomatoes are ready for picking, the potatoes are ready to be dug up. The TomTato boasts more than 500 cherry tomatoes, and lasts for only one season. But the ability to (at least theoretically) make your own fries and ketchup using your own produce has definite appeal.

That got me thinking about other prospective plant combinations that would do well. Breeders and plant scientists, here’s my crazy idea. Graft a peanut plant to a Cacao tree. Market it as a recipe for homemade Reese’s and watch the money roll in. Everybody loves peanut butter and chocolate.

For more: http://www.thompson-morgan.com
 

Natural light

Could we one day live in a world in which trees glowed brightly enough to replace streetlamps? It sounds like something out of a science fiction novel, but it’s happening right now. Synthetic biologists are using firefly DNA and aiming to create sustainable natural lighting, and the first step is Glowing Plants: Natural Lighting with No Electricity. The project was launched on the online crowdfunding platform Kickstarter, and quickly exceeded its $65,000 goal. In fact, more than 8,000 backers pledged a total of $484,013 to the project. The first batch of seeds is expected to be ready in May.

It’s created a bit of a stir among anti-GMO groups, but the project leads believe their work could lead to a brighter future.

For more: www.glowingplant.com