Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

IBM To Help Sequence the Chocolate Genome

Posted by timothy on from the 'bout-time-they-got-some-real-priorities dept.

Dekortage writes "The New York Times reports this morning that IBM will work with Mars — the candy company who makes M&Ms and Snickers, among other things — on a five year project to sequence the cocoa genome. According to Howard-Yana Shapiro, global director of plant science at Mars, the goal is to 'discover the genetic building blocks of traits like disease and pest resistance, drought tolerance and perhaps flavor.' Additionally, the project's results will be available for free from the Public Intellectual Property Resource for Agriculture."

5 of 95 comments (clear)

  1. Damn! by trolltalk.com · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Hopefully some asshat (Monsanto!!!) won't patent it!

    --
    Kevin Smith on Prince
  2. Re:Chocolate Gnome plan by bagsc · · Score: 2, Insightful

    3. Have agricultural scientists develop healthier, tastier, easier to grow, cheaper cocoa plants, saving you money on you biggest input expense.

    --
    http://www.accountkiller.com/removal-requested
  3. May I be the first to say--- by Gat0r30y · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Sweet.
    sorry, I couldn't help myself. thats it i'm going home for the day.

    --
    Prediction: The real iPhone killer is going to be sex robots from Japan. Think about it.
  4. What will they discover? by Cathoderoytube · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I have a feeling they're going to discover something that they really wouldn't want to know. Like Chocolate is 99% the same genetically as poop.

    Next week: Genome tests for chocolate have been canceled. One representative was heard to say 'Well, I don't think anybody's interested in this. Let's talk about something else.. Uhh... Free candy bars for everybody!'

    --
    I have nothing compelling to say
  5. Re:Cacao not cocoa by dreamchaser · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Since you're going to be pedantic, the Wikipedia entry cleary states that the Cacao is also known as the Cocoa Plant.

    There, I see your dubious Internet refrence and raise you another dubious Internet reference. People know *exactly* what is meant by cocoa plant.