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Grittyville, WA

Or... not? It depends!

Just a heads up for the gpc... probably ought to make a ruling about this. If I weigh a tomato next year with a snapdragon gene for purple color... this would be the first gmo ever entered. That I know of!

I'm throwing this out there so that it can simmer and have thoughtful discussion and weighing of opinions.

Pro's and cons... It could be a messy slippery slope from a purple tomato gene that won't affect weight to some genes that do.... and if any other gmo genes get mixed in to the seed pool someday, it might be difficult or spendy to enforce.

This is going to be a topic eventually, I kinda wish it wasn't since it won't add much happiness to the hobby... but what if a disease resistant gmo came along, one that was, say, powdery mildew resistent?

Simply put there's going to be some grower demand for gmo's if they offer specific benefits... Even though this may or not be the best or only option?

Stuff to think about...

What do you younger growers want the future to look like? The older growers like myself won't be as affected by it.

Maybe I'll ask my kids what they think.

[Last edit: 09/09/25 4:01:57 PM]

9/9/2025 3:58:10 PM

Ontario

I'm confused, are you saying you've been doing GMO experiments on your fruit? Or is this a purchased seed you've bred into your seed pool? Because I thought GMOs were supposed to be infertile?

9/9/2025 8:48:29 PM

Grittyville, WA

I think a big problem with gmo's is they are not infertile. Its another hassle or expense for regular growers just trying to keep the gmo's out. I hope the purple gene is obvious but now that I think about it, if it was recessive then that gene could cross into and hide in my regular tomatoes for many generations. I don't think it is recessive but that's me being a fool... and yet thats how it is with new technology. I'm not the only fool.

We fools aren't as smart as we think we are and we don't use as much caution as we should. Maybe I will rethink this, not sure I want to be the first person to enter a gmo.

9/11/2025 2:33:13 PM

Bethlehem CT

I am not convinced that Gmo's are the God send "Super Plants" that we think they are. I think we might have been able to do most things with good old fashioned breeding. It would have just taken more time. Although we most likely wouldn't have been able to naturally breed a round up resistant plant. But who cares?? We were doing just fine without it. We had 2-4d and other selective broadleaved herbicides that were used instead plus well timed mechanical cultivation was like still the go to technique of choice. An early cultivation then a Pre emergent weed control would work on the other crops that require weed control. But we bought into the Round up ready GMO thing hoook line and sinker. I don't know if we could farm with out it. Most of the farmers that did without it are old or dead.

9/11/2025 6:41:00 PM

Colorado

So if I found a secret spray or soak to use on my tomatoes or seeds that made them twice as big as everyone else's that would probably be ok. Now if I went to a lab here and had them turn off the same growth restriction gene (GMO) is that ok also?

[Last edit: 09/13/25 12:18:13 PM]

9/13/2025 12:17:47 PM

Grittyville, WA

All of the roundup ready gmo crops seem to affect my health negatively. They all seem to be pro-inflammatory. Beet (sugar), soy, corn, and canola all on my do-not-eat list. Non-roundup ready crops simply don't cause the same issue for me.

GMO doesn't have to be a bad thing. But roundup ready... I guess it did allow a whole new crop of industrial farmers to compete with the older farmers. Maybe some are in it for the money and wouldn't feed what they grow to their own families. Cynical... But I know this bottom-line "me-first" mentality happens mostly because the other better options aren't readily apparent.

I asked my son about it but didn't get far because he didnt know what a snapdragon was.

9/13/2025 2:00:06 PM