Scientists at the University of Georgia have discovered that a vegetable or fruit's shape comes down to genetics.

Scientists at the University of Georgia have discovered that a vegetable or fruit's shape comes down to genetics. / Flickr

Scientists at the University of Georgia have discovered that a vegetable or fruit's shape comes down to genetics. And these genes can be manipulated to change how something like a tomato or cucumber looks.

Esther van der Kaap teaches horticulture at UGA and was one of the researchers involved in the study. She said changing the shape of produce used to be a case of trial and error.

"You had to grow a lot of plants,” van der Kaap said. “You had to evaluate for fruit shape.  And now with this knowledge we can actually do this evaluation already before there is even a fruit, before the plant is actually flowering."

Van der Kaap said that how the technology will be used comes down to what farmers want to grow and what consumers are willing to buy.

The largest change the research showed will be for breeders. Knowing what genes affect certain vegetables, such as tomatoes or cucumbers allows them to control for shape in a more efficient manner.

Tags: University of Georgia  Atlanta  Macon  Savannah