Essentially little more than navy beans covered in a tomato-based sauce, baked beans are one of the more popular foods in the British Isles. However, due to the UK’s growing environment – the beans are grown outside the region and are mostly imported from Canada.
To rectify this disparity, researchers from the University of Warwick are using state-of-the-art genetic sequencing technology to figure out which traits are necessary for the beans to thrive during the UK growing season.
“The ultimate aim is to produce a navy bean which is less sensitive to cold soil in the spring, is resistant to common diseases that occur over the summer in the UK, and is also ready for harvest in early September,” said plant geneticist and project supervisor Eric Holub.
Read the full, original story here: “The Brits Aim To Genetically Engineer Their Own Beans”