• The Giant Korean@lemmy.world
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    10 hours ago

    They’re often treated with hormones.

    I sort of misspoke with regard to watermelons -

    Seedless watermelons are created by crossing a regular watermelon with 22 chromosomes with one that’s been chemically treated to have 44 chromosomes. The resulting hybrid has 33 chromosomes, making it sterile and seedless.

    • Hadriscus@lemm.ee
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      8 hours ago

      Not the person you replied to but thanks. Doesn’t that contradict the meme ?

    • dondelelcaro@lemmy.world
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      7 hours ago

      This is a bit misleading. You only need to treat the first generation of 2n watermelon with colchicine (which inhibits the movement of chromosomes during metaphase) to produce a 4n watermelon. Once you have a 4n watermelon, subsequent generations do not require colchicine treatment.