On Tue, 25 Apr 2000 13:41:58 -0500, E. Ann Clark wrote:
>> SUMMERLAND, B.C. -- The provincial government in British Columbia won't,
>> according to this story, be participating in any more genetic research into
>> how to keep sliced apples from turning brown.
How about growing 'Cortland' apples? They grow well in BC, and they
already don't turn brown when sliced. Anyone who likes to dry apples,
please take note. Alternatively apple processors already wash slices in
citric acid and/or lemon juice to serve as termprary anti-oxidants
until processing is finished.
[snip]
>> The story says organic growers were worried genetically-engineered trees
>> would cross-pollinate with natural ones, ruining their organic status, with
>> the release further quoted as saying, "There is no tolerance in the organic
>> market for product affected by genetic engineering. The produce could not be
>> sold as organic and the farm could become decertified."
Generally mis-placed fear. Apples develop from one ovary of the mother
plant (ie the tree) while the pollen from the paternal tree is
incorporated only in the other ovary (which becomes the seeds). Unlike
maize and such, the seeds aren't what you eat, and if organic people
have trouble with *that* then they have fallen into religious legalism
that makes the food laws in Leviticus look tame by comparison.
Because they are complex hybrids, apples (and most other fruits) must
be reproduced vegetatively --- for example by grafting. There is no
danger that a 'Summerland Red' will ever be anything else, since new
varieties are raised up from seed, and only about 1 in 10,000 seedlings
is ever worth even a second look. Seeds from a 'Summerland Red' will
*not* produce another 'Summerland Red.'
Bart Hall
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