Genetic engineering did something wonderful: seedless grapes. Though I can't see what the complaint is about, why can't they do seedless strawberries? Strawberries have seeds, but they don't need them, as they reproduce via runners.

Though I think the seeds are aethetically pleasing, still, I'd like to know what they'd be like if they didn't have those seed/pip things all over the sides...
-- froglet, Mar 23 2005

On seedless grapes http://www.newton.d.../bio99/bio99529.htm
"When you plant grape seeds the end result is that you get more grapes. What I want to know is how do you get seedless grapes?" [half, Mar 23 2005]

seedless bananas http://home.wlu.edu...p/intr132/Hist.html
[Worldgineer, Mar 23 2005]

Genetic engineering didn't do anything but supply chump change to six-packin' grad students.
-- mensmaximus, Mar 23 2005


//Strawberries have seeds, but they don't need them// Not being a biologist I know nothing of the birds and the bees (though I did enjoy the practicals), but don't the runners only spread the same plant? The seeds are required for wider dispersal.
-- AbsintheWithoutLeave, Mar 23 2005


Sorry [AbsintheWithoutLeave], only fully fledged biologists are allowed to annotate here.
-- zeno, Mar 23 2005


Yes. You would have a whole bunch of strawberry plant clones. Or are they tetnicaly just dismembered parts of the plant?
But it's the same thing with seedless grapes. We have (big number) of those vines, all over, but their geneticaly the same.

-- my-nep, Mar 23 2005


Wait... wern't seedless grapes a freak of nature that was DISCOVERED?

Either way, this is genetic engeniering...
-- my-nep, Mar 23 2005


Seedless citrus varieties are doing quite well without genetic engineering magic. I'd guess that grafting might not work for strawberry plants, though.
-- half, Mar 23 2005


Mmmm... baked strawtatoes.
-- Worldgineer, Mar 23 2005


I wonder if strawberry seeds in bulk have the same effect as morning glory seeds.
-- JesusHChrist, Mar 23 2005


(from [scout]'s link)//Seedless fruits are economically important when the seeds are not easy to chew and digest, as they are in grapes, citrus, bananas and pineapples. //

There are seedless bananas? Those little black seeds aren't easy to chew and digest?
-- Worldgineer, Mar 23 2005


I always thought those little things were achenes.
-- bristolz, Mar 23 2005


Ok, I've looked it up. What we're used to are seedless bananas. The original seeded ones from southeast Asia and India were largely inedible. (link)
-- Worldgineer, Mar 23 2005



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