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Ripening: What makes strawberries turn red? Researchers have pinpointed key genes that make strawberries turn red when they ripen. The role of hormones in fruit ripening has been extensively studied, but questions remain about the underlying genetics. Haoru Tang at Sichuan Agricultural University in China and co-workers assembled detailed genetic profiles of two wild strawberry varieties, one with red and the other with white fruits, at three stages of ripening. They focused on long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), master switches of gene regulation. Identifying differences in lncRNA profiles between the varieties allowed them to trace the complex genetic networks controlling ripening and redness. They also identified two key genes that generate red pigment, which are switched off in the white fruits. These results illuminate the complex genetics underlying a key feature of one of the world’s most economically important fruits. Researchers have illuminated the genetic cues that control the ripening of strawberries by comparing the genes switched on two variants, that produce red or white fruits, respectively.