Tomatoes sit in cases at a fruit and vegetables market in Paris. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier

How Science Ruined Tomatoes (and How It Can Fix Them)
According to a recent study, the best sweet-savory flavors of tomatoes seem to have gone missing in the latter part of the 20th century, when breeders started to focus on other priorities such as yield and shelf life. Today, equipped with knowledge of the genes that restore tomato flavor compounds, scientists hope to produce a tomato that is both tasty and sturdy.

Can New DNA Science Help Keep Our Fish Safe?
Scientists in Oregon are testing the applications of eDNA—DNA that can be extracted from environmental samples like water or soil. By taking a sample, you can determine the presence of different species and their relative abundance. It can be used to monitor endangered fish, look for invasive plants, or check in on native species, potentially including mammals like river otters, beavers, and bats.

Gates, Mastercard Launch New Platform for Smallholder Farmers
The research and development arm of Mastercard has released a program called 2Kuze, a pilot program that connects farmers in Kenya directly to buyers, who buy and then collect their product without the services of middlemen who can cut into a farmer’s profit. 2Kuze allows buyers to put out a call for a product and price. Farmers can then respond with an amount they are willing to sell. The new service, which builds on previous digital efforts, aims to meet farmers’ needs and abilities by requiring nothing more than a feature phone.

New ‘Green’ Fertilizer Could Contribute to Food Revolution – Scientists
A new synthetic fertilizer could help farmers to save money, boost food production, and reduce planet-warming emissions, scientists have found after trialing it on rice farms in Sri Lanka. By slowing down the release of nutrients, the fertilizer will help farmers to increase crop yields using less chemicals, the scientists from Britain and Sri Lanka said.