There is already 96 comments there, and I agree with all replies stated. There seems nothing to discuss.

Just wait: Seed of Change, Organic Gardening Mag, Seed Savers and Baker Creek are going to be ALL over this article. Can you say "Poop flinging"?

Any article that lumps the hundreds (thousands) of varieties into one category is suspect from the start. Yes, some heirloom varieties do not perform well. Yes, some varieties are much more suceptable to diseases. Yes, some hybrid varieties produce well and taste good.

However, checking with local people who know what they're talking about goes a long way in helping someone find a variety that is suitable to your area and produces well. Breeders don't care about taste. They are only concerned with disease resistance and portability/storage life.

Then why have they been around for several hundreds of years - and thousands of varieities in the seed banks - hybrid - since the late 40's and how many varieties are there? and why are they not in the seed banks of the world - oh that's right big seed companies have secret breeding to produce inferior tomatoes - enough said

Nearly every paragraph of this article contains some factual error, inconsistency or faulty reasoning. It is very sloppily written. I'm surprised Scientific American published it.

Jim

It's not paranoia when they really ARE out to get you! LOL

Ok so here is my take, you may have only a few mutations that govern the tomato shape, size and color, but you only have a few genes that control lots of things genetically. For example, the differences in domesticated dogs genetically speaking is very small, even between wolves and dogs, but there are vast differences in appearance, stamina, coat color, coat texture etc. Also there is only 2% difference between humans and Chimps gentetically, but that 2% makes quite a difference in terms of our adaptaions (large brain size, opposable thumb, bipedal walking, ect.). This is an article describing, in part, the work of Monsanto, a company looking to dominate the seeds of the world.

So according to the article, heirloom tomatoes only yield two fruits per plant??? Anyone who gets that poor a yield from any tomato, is not qualified to speak as an expert. This article reads more like a political hit piece than true objective science.

Maybe Monsanto bought Scientific American.

Unfortunately, Scientific American, a magazine I used to truly enjoy, became more political than scientific several years ago. But then, science itself has become highly political.

Jim

sad and true, Jim!