Scientists Shrink Wild Fruit by 35% Using Gene Editing

A wild fruit that once took over entire fields just got a makeover that could change how we feed the planet.

Scientists at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory used gene editing to shrink goldenberry plants by 35%, making them easier to farm and harvest. The small, sweet-tart fruits are already popular for their nutrition, but until now, their massive, sprawling vines made large-scale farming nearly impossible.

For 10,000 years, farmers improved crops the old-fashioned way: saving seeds from the best plants, generation after generation. That's how wild corn became the tall, golden stalks we know today, and how tiny wild tomatoes grew into the juicy ones at the farmers market. But that process took centuries or even millennia.

The CSHL team found a shortcut. Using CRISPR technology, they edited a few key genes in goldenberries to create compact plants that farmers can grow closer together. Then they walked the fields, tasting hundreds of fruits to find the best flavors. "We're eating hundreds of them, walking a field, and trying fruit off every plant in the row," explained greenhouse technician Blaine Fitzgerald.

After several generations of selective breeding, they developed two new goldenberry varieties that combine small size with great taste. The fruits themselves are slightly smaller, but the researchers believe they can improve that too.

Why This Inspires

This breakthrough matters beyond one fruit. The same approach could help develop crops that resist drought, disease, and pests in just years instead of centuries. As climate change threatens food security worldwide, speeding up crop development could mean the difference between abundance and scarcity.

Goldenberries join tomatoes and groundcherries as plants the Lippman lab has successfully modified. "By using CRISPR, you open up paths to new and more resilient food options," Fitzgerald said. "In an era of climate change and increasing population size, bringing innovation to agricultural production is going to be a huge path forward."

The team is now working on regulatory approval so farmers can access seeds and start growing these new varieties. They're also exploring how to increase fruit size and add disease resistance using the same tools.

The best part? These gene-edited goldenberries aren't science fiction. Some shoppers already recognize the original wild versions from specialty stores, and the improved varieties could appear in mainstream supermarkets within a few years, bringing nutritious options to more people at lower costs.

What once took nature millennia now takes a dedicated team just a few growing seasons.