PROMOTING TOMATO FRUIT FOLATE STABILIZATION AND STORAGE TO ENHANCE PLANT NUTRIENT BIOAVAILABILITY

The goal of this project is to develop folate-biofortified tomato lines by understanding and manipulating tomato genes which function in tomato stabilization and storage.Objective 1. Perform functional analysis of folate stabilization and storage proteins in tomato fruit.Objective 2. Integrate tomato folate sample preparation and analytical chemistry for highly accurate quantification of folate vitamers in tomato fruit.Objective 3. Evaluate tomato folate bioavailability using an efficient and tractable intestinal cell model where gene expression can be readily monitored to provide supporting evidence for folate uptake.