"Oz" > wrote in message
...
> David Hare-Scott > writes
>
> >True there are no certainties but given the amount of time we have been
> >doing it and the number of cases of development of new varieties through
> >selective breeding mean that we have reasonable confidence in the kinds
of
> >results that will be obtained.
>
> Hardly...
>
> Toxic potatoes (solanins)
> Eczema celery (psilorins)
> Lethal courgettes (cucubins)
>
> have all been bred in in recent decades and have come to market or very
> nearly so (potatoes). These are just the ones one hears about.
>

So you are saying there are cases of selective breeding producing vegetables
with toxins. This may or may not be so, solanins are naturally occuring
toxins that may develop in all potatos and I cannot find any reference to
psilorins or cucubins, so please supply some references.

If these cases are as you say what is your point? Are you saying this mean
that selective breeding is a seriously flawed technique that should be
abandoned? Given the benefits that have accrued over the history of mankind
you have a long way to go to prove that. If not what are you saying?

David