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submitted 3 months ago by fossilesque@mander.xyz to c/science_memes@mander.xyz

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[-] Turun@feddit.de 126 points 3 months ago

Actually, apple varieties are preserved via grafting. If you take an apple seed, the tree that will grow from it only has 50% of the DNA of the tree that made the apple. So there is absolutely no guarantee that the taste was preserved across generations.

[-] NoIWontPickAName@kbin.earth 64 points 3 months ago

Damn it! That was my bit of esoteric plant kkowlwdge

[-] Raiderkev@lemmy.world 20 points 3 months ago

Lol me too. 30 minutes late I guess.

[-] iamanurd@midwest.social 16 points 3 months ago

Likewise, fellow apple nerds.

[-] MrPoopyButthole@lemmy.world 1 points 3 months ago

Actually, even if you bred an apple tree with itself, due to the genetic recombination of recessive genes, the same thing happens. So it's more complicated than 50% of the genes missing.

[-] fossilesque@mander.xyz 25 points 3 months ago

TIL :)

[-] Death_Equity@lemmy.world 12 points 3 months ago

Human: I love this apple, I will plant its seeds so I can grow more myself.

Apple tree: Crabapples crabappley

[-] SchmidtGenetics@lemmy.world 8 points 3 months ago

[-] cybervseas@lemmy.world 7 points 3 months ago

I thought that was what made the meme funny…

[-] rayyy@lemmy.world 2 points 3 months ago

Apple grafting is incredibly easy and cheap. All you need is a bit of knowledge, a utility knife, cheap flagging tape and ordinary waterproof wood glue. Planning to procure scions and watching for the bark slip is necessary - usually right around when buds start to break. My first graft was successful. Now I graft all the time. Peaches were a problem for me until I learned that they must be grafted after blossoms drop - usually later than ideal apple grafting time.

[-] deegeese@sopuli.xyz 51 points 3 months ago

Apples do not grow true from seed, you get a new variety unless you clone.

[-] webghost0101@sopuli.xyz 5 points 3 months ago

Just like humans.

[-] perishthethought@lemm.ee 34 points 3 months ago

It blows my mind how many apple varieties ("cultivars") exist.

Spoiler: over 7,000!

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_apple_cultivars

[-] Slovene@feddit.nl 11 points 3 months ago

No, it's just over 7000.

[-] Leate_Wonceslace@lemmy.dbzer0.com 12 points 3 months ago

Yeah, the other number wasn't even close. I don't think you'd even be able to fit that many ~~on earth~~ in the ~~solar system~~ galaxy.

[-] perishthethought@lemm.ee 11 points 3 months ago

Sorry, I'm confused by these comments. I typed "7,000". In the US, that translates as "seven thousand". What is wrong with that?

[-] awesome_lowlander@lemmy.dbzer0.com 15 points 3 months ago

It's a joke. 7000! mathematically is 7000 factorial. Which means 7000 x 6999 x 6998...

You can see why orchard space might be a problem.

[-] perishthethought@lemm.ee 12 points 3 months ago

Oh... 7000! thanks.

[-] CheeseNoodle@lemmy.world 2 points 3 months ago

I got one!, there are only 3 trees in existence (only 1 mature enough to fruit and 2 cuttings) rn and the apples taste kinda like pears but with an apple texture.