Analyzing Interactions Between Leaf Morphology, Photosynthesis And Fruit Sugar Levels Using Tomato Mutants And Introgression Lines
USDA-NIFA Award Number: 2013-02264
Purpose
The contribution of leaves to photosynthetic output is not only a function of overall vegetative biomass and blade area, but also of the photosynthetic efficiency imparted by leaf morphology. Our preliminary analyses suggest that leaf type is a better predictor of fruit sugar content than even fruit size and time until fruit ripening. In addition, we found that specific aspects of leaf shape are significantly correlated with fruit sugar levels. In this project we are investigating the role leaf shape/size in modulating fruit attributes in tomato. This will allow us to determine if leaf shape should be an important consideration for tomato breeding efforts.