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“Open source” seeds loosen Big Ag’s grip on farmers

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Re: “Open source” seeds loosen Big Ag’s grip on farmers

#3
Do plants engineered to not produce plantable seeds have some kind of advantage, or is it purely so the seed producers can continue selling the seeds?

I remember when I first heard of roundup ready crops as a child, that aspect of it completely baffled me both in why and how they would make plants not replantable.

Re: “Open source” seeds loosen Big Ag’s grip on farmers

#6

Do plants engineered to not produce plantable seeds have some kind of advantage, or is it purely so the seed producers can continue selling the seeds? I remember when I first heard of roundup ready crops as a child, that aspect of it completely baffled me both in why and how they would make plants not replantable.

>have some kind of advantage

Pretty sure it's so you can't collect the newly produced seeds and sell them on the black market to people next season. Basically what you said, but it's not just about preventing people from 're-using' what they bought, but also preventing them from providing it to others.

Re: “Open source” seeds loosen Big Ag’s grip on farmers

#7

Do plants engineered to not produce plantable seeds have some kind of advantage, or is it purely so the seed producers can continue selling the seeds? I remember when I first heard of roundup ready crops as a child, that aspect of it completely baffled me both in why and how they would make plants not replantable.

They are far less likely to spread novel genes around the environment.

Re: “Open source” seeds loosen Big Ag’s grip on farmers

#8
post #4

There should be an open source label on produce grown from open source seeds.

Wouldn't it be better to labeled protected produce with patent numbers? Then you force the cost and overhead on them rather than the fledgling open-source seed movement.

Re: “Open source” seeds loosen Big Ag’s grip on farmers

#9

Do plants engineered to not produce plantable seeds have some kind of advantage, or is it purely so the seed producers can continue selling the seeds? I remember when I first heard of roundup ready crops as a child, that aspect of it completely baffled me both in why and how they would make plants not replantable.

I believe it's the engineering of other aspects (drought tolerance, growth factors, etc) that make them incapable of producing viable seed - not that the only engineering is to make them unable to put out fertile seed.
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