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Topic: Open Source (Free) Seeds! (Read 564 times)

copper member
Activity: 1498
Merit: 1528
No I dont escrow anymore.
April 17, 2014, 05:20:42 PM
#8
-snip-
I really like the idea of attaching a "open source licence" to seeds, but farmers will not. I watched a program about a farmer spent 5 years breeding a sweeter and less bitter brussels sprouts and I am sure he is not sharing his seeds.... and there are flower breeders too.

Yeah, I think that as well, but you will never know. Maybe not all farmers are after profit. Especially the small farms must find a niche. "All natural open source veggies", Id buy that, even if it was a little more expensive.
hero member
Activity: 672
Merit: 500
April 17, 2014, 04:45:55 PM
#7
Yep, Monsanto is one of them. RoundUp is a quite famous brand. They modify the crops to survive more of the companies poison, not produce more food and stuff.

Thanks for the corp names!
I went to Monsanto's website and see how they would advertise their products  Roll Eyes
"Herbicide tolerance" "Insect tolerance" "Drought tolerance"
http://www.monsanto.com/products/pages/monsanto-agricultural-seeds.aspx

But now these people made open source seeds. Anyone can use them and also use the seeds from the old plants.
Awesome, I hope more and more researchers will do this.
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2014/04/17/303772556/plant-breeders-release-first-open-source-seeds

I really like the idea of attaching a "open source licence" to seeds, but farmers will not. I watched a program about a farmer spent 5 years breeding a sweeter and less bitter brussels sprouts and I am sure he is not sharing his seeds.... and there are flower breeders too.
sr. member
Activity: 294
Merit: 250
April 17, 2014, 04:20:54 PM
#6
I have read somewhere that some insecticide/weed-killer manufacturers sell GM seeds which are immune to their insecticide/weed-killer. Farmers can spray their crop, killing everything except the their GM crops. These farm grown GM crops do not produce seeds.
Yep, Monsanto is one of them. RoundUp is a quite famous brand. They modify the crops to survive more of the companies poison, not produce more food and stuff.
copper member
Activity: 1498
Merit: 1528
No I dont escrow anymore.
April 17, 2014, 04:20:06 PM
#5
I have read somewhere that some insecticide/weed-killer manufacturers sell GM seeds which are immune to their insecticide/weed-killer. Farmers can spray their crop, killing everything except the their GM crops. These farm grown GM crops do not produce seeds.


I was speechless when I first read about plants that dont have seeds. But it looks like it pays off for the farmers.

I think that's mostly a US problem currently. I've never heard something as stupid as needing patents to take seeds from plants, lol.
Also, a plant derived from a seed will not be the same as the plant it derived from, and that's the way nature created it.
But I guess it's a good idea with open source plants to stop patents and stuff lol! Cheesy

Up to 85% of US corn is Genetically modified, could be this hybrid thing or not.
You can't even eat proper vegetables from the nature.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/41/Gmo_acreage_world_2009.PNG

From what I read, it looks like argentinia is leading with 72%, but the USA have the biggest area compared to others countries.
hero member
Activity: 672
Merit: 500
April 17, 2014, 03:52:02 PM
#4
I have read somewhere that some insecticide/weed-killer manufacturers sell GM seeds which are immune to their insecticide/weed-killer. Farmers can spray their crop, killing everything except the their GM crops. These farm grown GM crops do not produce seeds.
hero member
Activity: 798
Merit: 1000
April 17, 2014, 03:34:22 PM
#3
I think that's mostly a US problem currently. I've never heard something as stupid as needing patents to take seeds from plants, lol.
Also, a plant derived from a seed will not be the same as the plant it derived from, and that's the way nature created it.
But I guess it's a good idea with open source plants to stop patents and stuff lol! Cheesy

Up to 85% of US corn is Genetically modified, could be this hybrid thing or not.
You can't even eat proper vegetables from the nature.
sr. member
Activity: 294
Merit: 250
April 17, 2014, 03:31:27 PM
#2
I think that's mostly a US problem currently. I've never heard something as stupid as needing patents to take seeds from plants, lol.
Also, a plant derived from a seed will not be the same as the plant it derived from, and that's the way nature created it.
But I guess it's a good idea with open source plants to stop patents and stuff lol! Cheesy
copper member
Activity: 1498
Merit: 1528
No I dont escrow anymore.
April 17, 2014, 03:18:30 PM
#1
"Most commercial vegetable seeds are
hybrids, which come with a kind of built-in
security lock; if you replant seed from a
hybrid, you won't get exactly the same kind
of plant. (For this reason, some seed
companies don't bother getting patents on
their hybrids.)"

But now these people made open source seeds. Anyone can use them and also use the seeds from the old plants.


Awesome, I hope more and more researchers will do this.


 www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2014/04/17/303772556/plant-breeders-release-first-open-source-seeds
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