Re: Tough Choices...



"Nai`a" <mjwise@xxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:1167804904-sch@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Lawrence Akutagawa wrote:

The risk of hybrids is spelled out in the second referenced article:

Seems to be related to the "Monsanto Terminator" seeds.

Food should not be copyrighted, IMHO.
The Third World has made the right call in refusing "Gifts" of this crap.

ummm...excuse me - have your read that second cited article yourself? Your
confusing hybrids with genetically modified plants leads to the conclusion
that you have not.

And I myself as a home gardener have found this risk to be a real one.
The
kabocha we like and grow is called "Sweet Mama", a hybrid (
http://www.kitazawaseed.com/seed_277-175.html ) - a truly excellent
kabocha.
But its seeds are not true and we have to purchase these seeds each
planting
season.

Hmmm. Poked around a bit, and this doesn't appear to be a "Monsanto"
issue. How can a plants seeds not be "True"?

Maybe this is some "New" form of Life Copy Protection that I haven't
heard of yet....

<chuckle> Hybridization has been around as long as plant pollination has.
Remember Mendel and his sweet pea plants in high school biology? Here's one
link that among other things, explains the F terminology for describing
hybrids: http://www.sonic.net/~nbs/projects/anthro201/ .

Do more net searching yourself....don't take my word.

But a more direct, personal experience would be to acquire some hybrid seeds
yourself - many folks have room/space for a tomato plant. Plant them and
keep the seeds of the mature fruit. Plant these 'children' seeds and
observe for yourself.

.