Are seedless watermelons genetically modified? Read this and you'll understand

Watermelon is an annual climbing vine of the genus Citrullus in the gourd family (Cucurbitaceae). It was first introduced to China during the Jin and Yuan dynasties and can be called the "king of midsummer." It is widely cultivated throughout China and has very many varieties, with diverse forms of exocarp, flesh and seeds. It is most famous in **, Lanzhou in Gansu, Dezhou in Shandong, and Liyang in Jiangsu. Let's take a look below at whether seedless watermelons are genetically modified!

Are seedless watermelons genetically modified?

Seedless watermelons are not genetically modified. So-called genetically modified foods use biotechnology to transfer the genes of certain organisms into other species, modifying the organism's genetic material so that its traits, nutritional quality, consumption quality and other aspects are optimized and improved. Seedless watermelons, however, are triploid, produced by crossing diploids with tetraploids generated by mutagenesis. Because triploid cells experience disordered synapsis during meiosis, triploid watermelons cannot form seeds, so seedless watermelons are not genetically modified.

How do seedless watermelons come about?

Seedless watermelons are obtained by artificial induction of polyploidy. For example, treating diploid watermelon seeds or seedlings with colchicine (a plant alkaloid) blocks the formation of spindle fibers and the primary wall during the middle stage of cell division, so that the already replicated chromosome sets cannot separate toward the two poles and a secondary wall forms in the middle. As a result, cells with doubled chromosome sets are formed, yielding tetraploid watermelon plants. These are then crossed with diploid watermelon plants (as the male parent) to obtain triploid seeds. Because of disordered synapsis of homologous chromosomes during meiosis, triploid plants cannot form normal reproductive cells. The ovary of the triploid plant's flower is then stimulated with mature pollen from ordinary diploid watermelon to become a triploid fruit, because its ovules cannot develop into seeds.

What genetically modified agricultural products are there?

1. Tomato: Tomato is a vegetable liked by most people around the world, and tomato genes are relatively easy to transfer, so the tomatoes eaten today are also slowly moving onto the path of genetic modification, and there is even a trend toward commercial production.

2. Sweet pepper: In 1998, with approval from the Ministry of Agriculture, genetically modified colored peppers were once allowed to be commercially planted, but genetically modified colored peppers seem not to have received much welcome from the public in China, and today genetically modified colored peppers are basically no longer produced.

3. Corn: Genetically modified corn has already been allowed to be imported into China from the United States, and especially on January 7, 2015, a certain agricultural university even developed a genetically modified corn variety with insect-resistant rice, and even won an award for it.

4. Rapeseed: Genetically modified rapeseed is still subject to various controversies among governments of various countries. Ultimately, it comes down to concerns about toxicity and allergies. Although the cultivation of genetically modified rapeseed has not yet begun to be promoted in China, genetically modified rapeseed seeds are imported.

5. Soybean: Genetically modified soybeans have begun to enter the market on a large scale and are mainly used for processing cooking oil. As for whether genetically modified soybeans are being sold on the market, it is hard to know. If you do not want to eat genetically modified cooking oil, it is recommended to read the product label clearly before buying.