3 ms·

Ask HN: Do you think nature loves pomegranates more than apples?

1 points by zeynel1 16y ago

A pomegranate has about 600 seeds; an apple, on the average, has 4 to 8 seeds. http://www.aquaphoenix.com/misc/pomegranate/ http://www.pollinator.com/sd_count.htm

zeynel1 16y ago
http://www.aquaphoenix.com/misc/pomegranate/ http://www.aquaphoenix.com/misc/pomegranate/ http://www.pollinator.com/sd_count.htm http://www.pollinator.com/sd_count.htm
noodle 16y ago
i'd point out that the apple has been cultivated for something like 1000 years. its been developed into a larger fruit with fewer seeds via an extremely long period of selective breeding. i don't think the pomegranate has had the same level of effort/attention.
- elbrodeur 16y ago
  Additionally, the pomegranate is native to an extremely arid environment; more seeds are necessary to ensure reproduction.
  - zeynel1 16y ago
    "more seeds are necessary to ensure reproduction" Looking at other fruits grown in similar climate (mediterranean) http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/proceedings1996/V3-416.html http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/proceedings1996/V3-416.ht... it seems to me that the number of seeds and aridness of the climate are not related: olive (1 seed); Mandarin (12?). Only fig is similar to Pomegranate; fig too is filled with seeds.
- zeynel1 16y ago
  "i don't think the pomegranate has had the same level of effort/attention." Wikipedia says that "The pomegranate is native to the region of Persia and the Himalayan ranges of India, and has been cultivated in Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, North India, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and the Mediterranean region for several millennia." They seem to have a similar history.
  - noodle 16y ago
    perhaps. perhaps they have more seeds specifically for that. with the apple, you want more flesh, less seeds. with pomegranates, since the seeds are encapsulated in the stuff you want to eat, more seeds = better. so perhaps they were bred to increase seed yield.

3 ms·

Ask HN: Do you think nature loves pomegranates more than apples?

1 points by zeynel1 16y ago

A pomegranate has about 600 seeds; an apple, on the average, has 4 to 8 seeds. http://www.aquaphoenix.com/misc/pomegranate/ http://www.pollinator.com/sd_count.htm

zeynel1 16y ago
http://www.aquaphoenix.com/misc/pomegranate/ http://www.aquaphoenix.com/misc/pomegranate/ http://www.pollinator.com/sd_count.htm http://www.pollinator.com/sd_count.htm
noodle 16y ago
i'd point out that the apple has been cultivated for something like 1000 years. its been developed into a larger fruit with fewer seeds via an extremely long period of selective breeding. i don't think the pomegranate has had the same level of effort/attention.
- elbrodeur 16y ago
  Additionally, the pomegranate is native to an extremely arid environment; more seeds are necessary to ensure reproduction.
  - zeynel1 16y ago
    "more seeds are necessary to ensure reproduction" Looking at other fruits grown in similar climate (mediterranean) http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/proceedings1996/V3-416.html http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/proceedings1996/V3-416.ht... it seems to me that the number of seeds and aridness of the climate are not related: olive (1 seed); Mandarin (12?). Only fig is similar to Pomegranate; fig too is filled with seeds.
- zeynel1 16y ago
  "i don't think the pomegranate has had the same level of effort/attention." Wikipedia says that "The pomegranate is native to the region of Persia and the Himalayan ranges of India, and has been cultivated in Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, North India, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and the Mediterranean region for several millennia." They seem to have a similar history.
  - noodle 16y ago
    perhaps. perhaps they have more seeds specifically for that. with the apple, you want more flesh, less seeds. with pomegranates, since the seeds are encapsulated in the stuff you want to eat, more seeds = better. so perhaps they were bred to increase seed yield.