- “Don’t worry, I have more potatoes in the kitchen. I read in this seed journal that plant breeders have created true potato seed, which allows them to speed up variety development, but it also has huge logistical and phytosanitary advantages. They call it the ‘Holy Grail’ of potato improvement.”
- “I want to say thanks for all the seeds that provide the world’s daily food. Our breakfast cereal and toast, our pasta or pizza lunch and our rice dish for dinner all started life as seeds from different plant species. There can be no life without seeds!”
- “Hey, can you pass me the sweet potatoes? These used to be typical for N. America but are more and more grown in Europe. Portugal and Spain are the largest producers with around 20,000 to 25,000 tonnes.”
- “This pumpkin pie is delicious. I read that in Sept. 2021, the record for the biggest pumpkin in the world was won by an Italian farmer with a pumpkin of 1226 kg.”
- “Hey kiddo, don’t eat so much candy. If you’re looking for a nutritious diet, make sure to include a lot of plant seeds. They have a nice balance of multiple proteins and monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which are good for your heart!”
- “Last week in school we learned that every plant seed, no matter its size or species, contains three main parts: the embryo, the cotyledon and the seed coat.”
- “That’s right, the seed’s embryo is the baby plant, with a young root and shoot. And then the cotyledon is the source of a seed’s nourishment, with starch and stuff for survival during the first few weeks after germination. And on the outside, there is the seed coat that provides a tough layer to protect the baby plant.”
- “That’s a nice spruce tree you got there. I saw on tv that most species of spruce grow to the height of 18 to 30 mtr. And that the Sitka spruce is the tallest species of spruce that can reach 90 mtr in height.”
- “Thank you. I’m so glad we got a real tree, instead of a plastic one. They say that real trees use 10 times fewer materials and five times less energy than artificial trees. And they are completely biodegradable.”
- “I’ll take some more of those Brussels sprouts. They are rich in sulforaphane that gives these babies their unique flavour but also helps lower cancer risks. And what’s more, these mini cabbages contain zeaxanthin, which is an antioxidant that is considered important to eye health.
Editor’s Note: This piece first appeared on our sister publication, European Seed.
