Showing posts with label vegetable. Show all posts
Showing posts with label vegetable. Show all posts

Genetic Researchers Complete Carrot Genome

Genetics: Identification of the genome of the carrot has just been complete by researchers.
Though the carrot is a mundane vegetable it is important for a rounded, varied diet. Haven't you heard that carrots are good for your eyesight - I bet you have never seen a rabbit wearing glasses have you? Ah well, a little less of the frivolity!
Carrots of many colors
Scientists sequenced the genome of the humble carrot only a week ago. Increasing the level of nutrients in the vegetable is the prime objective. Vitamin A is present in high levels naturally. This does benefit one's eyes. Side issues include disease resistant and greater yields. This does directly improve life for farmers. Overall ,consumers get a better product at a lower price.

Ironically, vegetables have more genes than humans: 32,000 compared to 20,000. It seems that Man is nothing special after all. Plants are more complex than us. Carrots are probably more useful than people to the planet - they don't destroy it.

The vegetable was first recorded as food in Afghanistan a thousand years ago. The original wild carrot was white. Purple and yellow ones are popular in the Middle East and Asia.   Orange carrots were depicted in Spanish and German paintings in the 1500s.
y  Genetics  by Ty Buchanan ◆g
 Australian Blog
            Australian Blog   Adventure Australia
ALL BLOG ARTICLES· ──► (BLOG HOME PAGE)
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
CARROT GENOME
carrot, vegetable, diet, food, vitamin a, eyesight, rabbit, glasses, plants, nutrients, yield, farmers, consumers, articles news politics economics society anthropology historiography history sociology people nations country asia europe africa u.s. south america central Mediterranean eastern western interesting funny technology adventure australia blog australian blog free news sex

Dog Gets Special Food

Cat and dog pets get special food
"You are giving him special food again Mum!"
Funny Animal Pictures
Australian Blog
 Adventure Australia
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
dog cat eating food special meat vegetables pamper spool table plates dishes ears shouting owner mum

There Is Soil on Mars

NASA scientists are now saying that "soil" on Mars could support vegetable life. Without an atmosphere, though, it seems no life is possible. Scientists are specific enough to say that asparagus and turnips will grow in Mars' soil but strawberries will not. Are they joking? Or are they for real?

The Phoenix Mars Lander found soil that is very much like that in many Earth backyards. Scientists are shocked that they have found soil. It is alkaline - thus, the claim that it is not good for strawberries. Apparently, the soil is rich in trace minerals.

My, how scientists can be wrong. It was thought that Mars "soil" would be salty - with no atmosphere and the sun would bleach it. But they were wrong. At least we know that there is soil and water in the form of ice just beneath the surface. There is evidence that in the past water flowed on the surface because erosion is evident. Rivers, lakes and oceans existed there once. Water reservoirs such as these indicate that the planet did once have an atmosphere.

If life did survive for a time on Mars future exploration will surely find it.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Science

Sweet Potato Is Being Improved

The sweet potato is a hotel counter-lunch filling. It is something you have when there is no other vegetable left. Most people eat it because it is on the plate. It's flavour can be described as sugary. The only vegetable anything like it is fresh baby peas that can be quite sweet. The sweet potato, however, is far too "sickly" for most palates. This humble vegetable is being revamped.

Researchers in Queensland are trying to find varieties that can be grown more economically and which are more suitable for consumers - diametrically opposed goals one would assume. They are looking for more brilliantly coloured kinds, a silly aspiration considering people don't eat colour. It is the taste that is the problem. Seeing pretty red, purple, orange and white skin while you are peeling them is hardly, well, "appealing". Scientists are saying the colours are exciting. Wow! They are also saying that there are interesting flavours. This claim is not soundly based because no formal taste tests have been done.

A fatter kind is being worked on. A quick perusal of the local greengrocer would indicate that size is not really an issue. There are some monsters out there already. Like giant pumpkins such monstrosities are usually only fit for the rubbish bin.

Those doing the study admit that the sweet potato being produced is of very high quality. If that is the case why bother working on improvements? Surely, research on more main-stream vegetables like the standard potato is more logical than trying to improve a vegetable that is at best only a fill-in on the dinner plate.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Science