Findingย a good pear can be a frustrating process, and represents a long-standingย problem for the US pear industry, which has been stagnantย for decades.ย Amit Dhingra, aย horticultural genomicist from Washington State University, thinks the industry is ripe for innovation.
In this episode of Talking Biotech, Dhingra explains the roots of pear domestication, why we see so few varieties of pears, and efforts to improve the surprisingly nutritious fruit. (The pear has superior health benefits to apples, including higher fiber content and a lower glycemic index.) Dhingraย is working with Washington farmers to develop pears that use less water, ripen moreย consistently, and have aย longer shelf life. He believes reliably tasty pre-sliced pears couldย jumpstart the pear industry.
Followย Amit Dhingraย @aamitdhingra
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