09.21.12
According to University of Florida News, University of Florida researchers are developing databases and computer models to show how and where B vitamins are made in plants, knowledge scientists believe they can use to guide plant breeding projects, such as increasing plants’ vitamin contents, leading to more nutritious foods. The research is detailed in a recent issue of the Journal of Experimental Botany as part of the Darwin Review series. The databases being developed are the foundation for models, or computer simulations, of the way B vitamins are created in plants. When complete, researchers can use the models to test ways to increase vitamin B in the system before experimenting on plants, said lead researcher Andrew Hanson, perhaps increasing the speed at which improved-nutrient crops can be produced.