The secrets of the most smelly fruit in the world

A spinous fruit famed for its sting, is typical of Southeast Asia. A fortune or a bad luck depends on the points of view: if in Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand it is considered a delicacy, it is also true

that its smell (a bad mix of onion, aquarism, dead eggs and after-match socks ) is so pungent to be traded, by tourists, for sewers. In some countries, fruit is banned by hotels and transportation because of its cumbersome "signature".

Now a group of genetics from Singapore, Hong Kong and Malaysia succeeded in sequencing Durian DNA, finally revealing the origin of its stench.

Duria zibethinus, the most odorous and most consumed variety, is closely related to coconut and coconut plants, but has in its DNA multiple copies of the genes involved in the synthesis of volatile sulfur compounds, responsible for the sought-after "fragrance". Not only. The levels of some sulfur compounds, the disulphides, increase exponentially as the genes involved in the maturation process express themselves. In mature fruits, the expression of the genes encoding the disulphide is 2000 times greater.

GIVE ME: I HAVE HERE! This stretch would be due to the necessity of durian not to go unnoticed (or rather: inavvertito). The stench attracts the attention of pollinators such as the flying fox (Pteropus hypomelanus) a bat that seems to appreciate this kind of food. The elephants feed on their fruits, contributing to the shedding of seeds - in short, it will also have an intense smell, but in this sense durian is a great example of collaboration between plant and animal species.

Research could help safeguard over 200 known durian varieties, particularly those that are more resistant to disease and drought.