Medicinal date palm from oldest known seed planted

Discussion in 'News from around the damp planet' started by Michaelangelica, Nov 26, 2011.

  1. Michaelangelica

    Michaelangelica Junior Member

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    A date tree grown from the oldest viable seed in the world to be sprouted was planted Thursday at Kibbutz Ketura in the Arava, for therapeutic uses.

    The tree, now 2.5-meters tall, was grown from a 2,000-year-old seed that archeologists found at a Masada dig in the 1960s. A team of researchers sprouted it, and it was initially planted in a secret location so it would not be stolen.

    Now it is hoped that the plant, which is of a rare species, will produce fruit that could be used for medicinal purposes and for food.

    Attending Thursday’s tree-planting ceremony were Hadassah Women’s Zionist Organization of America president Marcie Nathan and Lord David Wolfson of England, among other guests.

    A few years ago, Dr. Sarah Sallon, an expert in natural medicine at the Hadassah Medical Organization, heard a rumor that Bar-Ilan University botany Prof. Mordechai Kislev had the “hibernating seeds” that had been found during the archeological dig.. . . ..
    https://www.jpost.com/Health/Article.aspx?id=246956
     
  2. S.O.P

    S.O.P Moderator

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    Now that's a feel good article.
     
  3. Grasshopper

    Grasshopper Senior Member

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    Certainly beats bull dozing Palestinian olive trees
     
  4. Pakanohida

    Pakanohida Junior Member

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    Or any tree for that matter. :)

    Wow, 2,000 year old viable seed. Take that status quo and your 1 year of viable gmo seeds!
     
  5. MelMel8318

    MelMel8318 Junior Member

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    2,000-year-old seed! That's awesome! That means once the agri-business has gone the way of the dodo, then there is still hope that the heirloom varieties will make a come back on their own. How cool is that!
     
  6. Michaelangelica

    Michaelangelica Junior Member

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    Sallon thinks that the extreme dryness and heat of the Dead Sea region may have helped conserve the seed in a way that it was able to germinate 2000 years later.

    In the first century AD, the area was famous for its high-quality dates, but the plants were later lost. Preliminary genetic analysis suggests the ancient date plant is quite different to its modern cousins, but the researchers caution that with only one plant to test, the results are not conclusive. They are seeking more ancient seeds to carry out more genetic studies.

    https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn14125-jesusera-seed-is-the-oldest-to-germinate.html
     
  7. Pakanohida

    Pakanohida Junior Member

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    If mycellium can lay dormant for thousands of years, why not a seed... ..personally I don't need to look for answers, but I like the idea of trying to plant more ancient seeds. :)
     
  8. Michaelangelica

    Michaelangelica Junior Member

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