At the University of York, researchers found out exactly how tobacco plants produce nicotine. This discovery may help create varieties with lower nicotine content: biologists now have a better understanding of the mechanism behind its formation and can control the process more precisely.
Reducing nicotine content, however, is only part of the task. For tobacco, nicotine is not a random byproduct but a defensive alkaloid that helps the plant fend off insects. The main challenge is therefore to alter the mechanism of its production so that the plant maintains normal growth and high yield. Only then can a fundamental discovery become a stable commercial product.
