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> To all a nice weekend,
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> Bj?rn Malkmus
There are many, many ,many 'points' why humans should and do "improve"
plants on mother nature. Nature is not perferct. Some examples of why people
have and do produce hybrids ALL VALID.
The most valuable use of hybrids to humans is undoubtably agricultural. I
like my corn on the cob to be bigger than my thumb!
Some times a plant that is desirable is not easily grown. Sometimes some of
these desirable traits may be crossed onto a kindred species which is easier
to grow. ( Anth. dressleri is hard to grow in Florida, but it's hybrids are
grown very well there)
Curiosity is a good enough reason
to make cut flowers last longer, to make vegatables bigger, tastier, and or
more productive and resistant to desease.
Even though someone said this is 'old hat' , hybrids can be used to show
inter specific or intergeneric relationships.
The list can go on but I think my point is clear. the improvement of plants
through hybridization is a valid , and even neccessary part of our
existance.
I too enjoy nature the way it is and personally prefer to collect
species.....but I beleive there are many valid opinions for and against
hybridizaiton. I just don't see that these opinions should be mutually
exclusive of each other. People are going to hybridize plants because they
can and I doubt that it will ever, ever stop.
As John Banta always points out......The genes of some species now only
exist in the hybrids they parented.
The recombination of genes happens in the course of nature.....I don't
seperate the actions of humans from nature. Humans and their actions are
inseperable from nature. I have never understood why people think that our
actions and brains seperate us from nature. We are just as answerable to
natures laws as every other thing.
Neil
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