IBM To Help Sequence the Chocolate Genome

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."

Comments

May I be the first to say---

[Gat0r30y]

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

Cacao not cocoa

[Alomex]

You cannot decode the "chocolate genome" nor the "cocoa genome" any more than you can decode the flour genome. Chocolate, cocoa and flour are food stuffs, not plants. What IBM wants to do is decode the cacao genome.

Re:Cacao not cocoa

[philspear]

In unrelated news, scientists at IBM today isolated a new gene called the "anal retentive gene." It is highly related to the "grammar nazi" gene, and belongs to the "someone has way too much time on their hands" family of genes.

Anyway, alomex, you should probably e-mail Mars and IBM right now. They're going to be wasting a lot of time and chocolate otherwise.

Re:Cacao not cocoa

[dreamchaser]

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.

Re:Chocolate Gnome plan

[Foofoobar]

3. Have agricultural scientists crossbreed cocoa with cannabis for healthier, tastier and easier to bake brownies. (not to mention easier to bake humans)

Re:Coffee plant next please

[bluefoxlucid]

Chocolate contains caffeine you idiot.

Re:Damn!

[X0563511]

First, people stopped reading the articles. Next, they stopped reading the summaries.

I think we are now at the point where people stop reading the comments. Next after that, people will stop reading what they typed, and from that what they are typing. In only a few short steps Slashdot will become the biggest random number generator in existance.

Re:Damn!

[jesdynf]

I'm sorry, but... did you SEE your handle?

Re:Damn!

[owlnation]

I think we are now at the point where people stop reading the comments. Next after that, people will stop reading what they typed, and from that what they are typing. In only a few short steps Slashdot will become the biggest random number generator in existance.

Like Digg then?

Re:Chocolate Gnome plan

[jdb2]

I second that!

But seriously it's actually thought, because of recent research, that chocolate is so pleasurable because it contains trace amounts of cannabinoids.

I can see it now "In an ongoing series of police raids in an effort to stop the illegal use and sale of Cocoa, officials seized 100 pounds of Wonka chocolate bars that were in the possession of a previously cited Cocoa abusing teenager. As a dealer, he faces a possible life sentence if convicted."

jdb2

Re:Chocolate Gnome plan

[Max Littlemore]

Even better...

3. Have agricultural scientists develop edible brussel sprouts.

Re:What will they discover?

[Max Littlemore]

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

Or even worse, they'll discover that if they remove the gene responsible for creating caffeine from cacao, they'll end up with carob. Personally, I'm hoping for the poop scenario.

wo!

[BigBlueOx]

M&M Mars?? GIVING away research?? "The CIA of the candy industry"?? The company that won't even give plant tours to schoolchildren for fear of exposing trade secrets?? The candy company with NDAs?? The company that won't even reply to schoolchildren's letters with *promotional* *literature*??

Ok. What's *really* going on?

oops KIR - KOS lol cya