新知｜打了避孕药？无籽西瓜“背锅”好多年！

Core Viewpoint - The article addresses misconceptions surrounding seedless watermelons, particularly the false claims that they are treated with contraceptive drugs and contain harmful hormones. It clarifies the scientific methods used in breeding seedless watermelons and emphasizes the safety of these practices [9][11][25]. Group 1: Misconceptions and Clarifications - The rumor linking seedless watermelons to contraceptive drugs likely stems from misunderstandings about the term "seedless" and the breeding process [11]. - Experts from the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences confirm that seedless fruits are not related to contraceptive drugs, and the use of plant growth regulators like gibberellins is a common practice in their production [11][19]. - Contraceptive drugs, being animal hormones, cannot be recognized or utilized by plants, making the idea of treating watermelons with such drugs ineffective [13][19]. Group 2: Breeding Techniques - The breeding of seedless watermelons involves the use of colchicine, a plant alkaloid that disrupts normal cell division, resulting in the creation of tetraploid watermelons [14][18]. - Tetraploid watermelons are then crossed with diploid watermelons to produce triploid watermelons, which are the seedless varieties sold in markets [19][23]. - The inability of triploid watermelons to produce seeds is due to their chromosomal structure, which prevents normal pairing and separation during reproduction [23]. Group 3: Advances in Breeding Technology - A significant breakthrough in seedless watermelon breeding was reported by Professor Yuan Li's team, which developed a self-replicating diploid seedless watermelon induction system, enhancing breeding efficiency and variety [25][27]. - This new system allows for the cultivation of seedless watermelons without the constraints of traditional breeding methods, leading to improved sweetness, longer shelf life, and better disease resistance [27]. - The advancements in this breeding technology not only benefit seedless watermelons but also open new avenues for breeding other seedless fruit crops [27].