The Tomtato: Single plant produces both tomatoes and potatoes
- 9 years ago
A UK horticulture company has unveiled a hybrid plant that can produce both tomatoes and potatoes from the same plant.
Called the Tomtato, creator Thompson and Morgan said that the plant is not genetically modified and was made using a traditional technology known as grafting.
The plant was created by splicing the top of a tomato plant with the roots of a potato plant.
The plants, from the same species, then fuse together and grow to maturity, producing a crop of tomatoes above the soil and potatoes below.
Michael Perry, New Product Development Manager for Thompson and Morgan told Reuters, "It's a hundred percent natural, so no GMs involved, it is completely natural and safe and each plant is grafted by hand so a very, very delicate process."
The plant is the fruit of 15 years work and last for just one season. They will go on sale in the UK early next year priced at 15 pounds each.
Called the Tomtato, creator Thompson and Morgan said that the plant is not genetically modified and was made using a traditional technology known as grafting.
The plant was created by splicing the top of a tomato plant with the roots of a potato plant.
The plants, from the same species, then fuse together and grow to maturity, producing a crop of tomatoes above the soil and potatoes below.
Michael Perry, New Product Development Manager for Thompson and Morgan told Reuters, "It's a hundred percent natural, so no GMs involved, it is completely natural and safe and each plant is grafted by hand so a very, very delicate process."
The plant is the fruit of 15 years work and last for just one season. They will go on sale in the UK early next year priced at 15 pounds each.