Manipulation of chloroplast density to enhance photosynthesis and nutritional value of tomato

Chloroplasts are organelles present in plant cells that play a crucial role in photosynthesis. This process enables plants to convert sunlight into energy. Within chloroplasts, chlorophyll-a green pigment-captures light energy to drive this transformation. During tomato fruit development, chloroplasts in green fruit differentiate into chromoplasts. Chromoplasts are specialized organelles in plant cells that produce and store pigments, such as carotenoids, which are responsible for the vibrant red, orange, and yellow hues seen in tomato fruits.

The overall aim of this project is to manipulate chloroplast development and density to produce tomato fruit with higher chlorophyll content, enhanced photosynthetic performance, and faster developmental progression. Following chloroplast-to-chromoplast differentiation, we will study ripe fruit to determine the role of chromoplast number in fruit organic compound sequestration, as well as their impact on nutritional and postharvest quality.