I'm not aware that any banana species have stenospermocarpy. If genes
for stenospermocarpy can be identified in other species, maybe bananas
could be genetically engineered to be stenospermocarpic.

The prediction that existing cultivars of seedless banana will be
extinct within a decade unless they are genetically engineered for
disease resistance is just a prediction. Researchers may come up with
new pesticides that can control the serious pests and diseases
threatening the seedless banana crop.

There is probably a political motive for the dire prediction because
many nations are strongly opposed to genetically engineered crops. The
story came from a Belgian scientist and banana expert, Dr. Emile
Frison. Dr. Frison is the Director of the International Network for
the Improvement of Banana and Plantain. He favors genetically
engineered crops even though banana producers don't:
http://www.cbc.ca/stories/2003/01/16...bananas_030116
http://www.ipgri.cgiar.org/institute/press270103.htm

It would be an interesting test case for nations that have banned all
genetically engineered crops if Dr. Frison proves correct and the
only seedless bananas available in ten years are genetically
engineered cultivars.


David R. Hershey



(Iris Cohen) wrote in message ...
Most seedless grapes are stenospermocarpic, which means the seeds start to
develop after normal pollination and fertilization but abort before maturity.
The remains of the aborted seed(s), called seed traces, can be seen in the
"seedless" fruit.
Grape breeders now use tissue culture to prevent the tiny embryos from
aborting. This technique is called embryo rescue. It allows two seedless grapes
to be crossed and produce viable offspring. Embryo rescue had been a major
reason why there are so many new seedless grape cultivars.

Will it work with bananas? Somebody told me all the banana plants in the world
are dying of an incurable disease. And of course the commercial bananas are
seedless.

Iris,
Central NY, Zone 5a, Sunset Zone 40
"If we see light at the end of the tunnel, It's the light of the oncoming
train."
Robert Lowell (1917-1977)